Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of APPO (African Petroleum Producers Organization) in Nigeria, expertly leads the coordination of oil policies in Africa, promoting cooperation and sustainability. His visionary leadership and commitment to transparency and governance strengthen the African oil industry, supporting regional development and economic prosperity.
Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) since January 2020, is a recognized expert in the African energy sector. Holding a Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States) obtained in 1988, he has held several leadership positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), consolidating his in-depth understanding of the African oil market dynamics. His strategic vision aims to enhance cooperation among producing countries in line with Africa’s energy transformation.
« Today, no African country alone possesses all the resources needed to address the new challenges that the energy transition poses to the African oil and gas industry. But by joining forces, we have everything necessary to succeed. »
Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO – Nigeria
Exploring strategies to ensure energy security, Ibrahim actively works to strengthen Africa’s position on the global oil stage. Rooted in a vision deeply entrenched in the continent’s realities, he believes that recentering the use of African resources to serve African populations is not only a moral imperative but also a key aspect of sustainable development and energy autonomy.
» All the oil and gas that we produce, or most of it, 75 percent of the oil that Africa produces we export it outside of Africa. Forty-five percent of the gas that we produce today we export outside of Africa. Yet, Africa has the largest proportion of its people living without access to modern energy. Six hundred million Africans don’t know what electricity is about. Nearly one billion Africans don’t have access to modern energy for cooking, et cetera. Yet, we are the ones exporting. If we focus on that 75 percent and 45 percent, securing it for our people, believe me, we will change the lives of the vast majority of our people. «
Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO – Nigeria
Former Governor of Nigeria, a leading oil-producing country in Africa, at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) based in Vienna from 2015 to 2020, and a board member of the Gas organization based in Doha, his expertise has enabled him to effectively engage with international institutions. His strategy also includes promoting investments in renewable energies, anticipating the global energy transition while supporting economies dependent on black gold.
« You have probably heard about the creation of the African Energy Bank, which will be the first truly African financial institution. Unlike the African Development Bank, which remains a global and regional institution, this bank has been designed and developed on the African continent. Although it is open to foreign investors, only contributions that share our vision that oil and gas will continue to play a key role in Africa are accepted. »
Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO – Nigeria
Before venturing into the oil sector in 2003, Dr. Ibrahim worked in the media, where he served as a Managing Director multiple times and as the former Managing Director of the government-owned press house, The New Nigerian Newspapers, between 1999 and 2003. He then spent seven years from February 2003 to December 2009 as the Head of the Public Relations and Information Department and a senior member of the secretariat at OPEC in Vienna.
