Ibrahim Yusuf

Nigeria’s foremost pipe production, coating and energy sector industrial solutions provider, Solewant Group, joined senior government officials and other global players in the oil and gas, as well as maritime industries to dissect Gulf of Guinea’s (GoG) energy, maritime and investment prospects at a high-level roundtable on the sidelines of the recent 80th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York, United States.

As an emerging critical gateway for investment, trade, and security cooperation, with over $800 billion in energy and infrastructure opportunities, the GoG occupies a strategic position in the global economic architecture. According to the OECD, the African coastal economy is projected to hit $3 trillion by 2030, with the GoG contributing $300 billion and creating over 49 million jobs.

However, despite producing nearly 50 per cent of Africa’s crude oil, holding an estimated 10 per cent of global reserves, and serving as a vital shipping corridor, the GoG, which spans from Nigeria to Angola, has remained a hotspot for oil theft, illegal fishing, piracy, smuggling, maritime terrorism, and other transnational threats. In an attempt to address these challenges, 25 coastal states adopted the Yaoundé Code of Conduct in 2013, but this has not translated into a binding regional agreement.

Also at the regional levels, other initiatives adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) have continued to face implementation challenges. At the national level, the hosting of the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) in Lagos by the Nigerian government under the African Union’s (AU) African Standby Force (ASF), was an audacious step but the ASF faces the challenges of lack of political will and funding.

 A top-notch roundtable themed: “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roadmap for Peace and Security,” which was convened by The New Diplomat, a non-partisan policy think tank based in Abuja, in collaboration with the Luanda-based Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) to deepen international engagement on peace and security, was the latest effort to catalyse investment and business in the region’s energy, oil and gas, mineral, aviation and maritime sectors.

Speaking at the high-level roundtable convened on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80), the former Chief of Staff (CoS) to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari and ex-Minister of External Affairs, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, called on regional and international leaders to confront the insecurity challenges in the Gulf of Guinea to unlock its vast economic potential.

Gambari stated that the region, rich in oil, gas, and critical minerals, remains plagued by piracy, oil theft, and illegal fishing, which continue to scare away investors and destabilise communities. Gambari said: “We are not helpless. When states coordinate naval patrols and share intelligence, tangible results follow.” As a part of a measure to move from talk to action, Gambari laid down a five-point agenda for the region, which included strengthening of security frameworks, merging of security with development, bringing in the private sector, embracing technology and forming a business council for the GoG to drive sustained cooperation. Gambari maintained that for the region to become an economic hub, its natural wealth must be managed transparently to benefit local communities and avoid fuelling grievances. “Economic opportunity, when paired with inclusive governance, is itself a powerful deterrent to insecurity,” he said.

He anchored the plan to broaden continental goals like ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the AU’s Agenda 2063, warning that without decisive collective action, the Gulf of Guinea’s promise would remain unfulfilled. “The future must be shaped by a shared commitment to protect its waters, invest in its people, and transform its natural wealth into a driver of inclusive growth,” Gambari added.

In his goodwill message at the high-level roundtable, the Founder and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Solewant Group, Mr. Solomon Ewanehi, noted that the GoG is richly endowed and strategically vital. According to him, recent public estimates and discussions place the region’s energy, maritime and infrastructure investment opportunity in the hundreds of billions of dollars, describing it as a transformational economic prize for Africa’s coastal economies.

Citing recent reports, Ewanehi declared that unlocking Africa’s coastal economies responsibly will require security, governance, and coordinated public–private action.

 “Security frameworks already exist. Most notably the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (2013), which provides a foundation for cooperation against piracy, illicit trafficking, and other maritime threats. Yet the Code needs strengthened legal status, harmonised enforcement, and operational capacity if it is to protect regional trade and investor confidence at scale.

“Nigeria’s renewed proposal to host a Combined Maritime Task Force in Lagos, and broader AU efforts to operationalise an ASF/CMTF construct is a healthy reflection but there is need for the political will. The private sector welcomes these moves: without predictable security, investment and local industrial progress will remain constrained,” Ewanehi explained.

“Solewant Group speaks to the role indigenous industry can play. Over 25 years we have invested in people, plants and products, including commissioning what is widely reported as Africa’s largest multi-layer pipe-coating facility, to strengthen local content, job creation, and supply-chain resilience for energy and infrastructure projects. These investments validate that when security and financing frameworks are aligned, African firms are fully capable of delivering high-quality industrial capacity that meets global standards,” he added.

Ewanehi explained that the company is actively translating regional interests into concrete partnerships.

He recalled that in 2025, Solewant Group showcased advanced technologies and engaged governments and investors at major global fora.

Indeed, from the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held in Houston, Texas, United States of America (USA), to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) 2025, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State; from the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek to the 4th edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) convened by Afreximbank at SAFEX Building in Algiers, Solewant Group has continued to showcase innovative technological solutions and enormous technological breakthroughs in its state-of the-art industrial area in Nigeria.

According to Ewanehi, the company’s industrial powerhouse has been showcased to power Africa.

 “We are gearing up in terms of capacity generation, local content development and infrastructure divestment in oil, gas, energy and water sector resources. Our Roadmap Plus is a 10-year industrial development roadmap envisioned to crystallize major energy sector breakthroughs across Africa.

“At the moment, we are mobilizing financial resources to support pipeline projects across Africa; this will absorb DFI capital, create jobs, and build durable local value chains. These efforts show how industry convenings and summits (like the annual Solewant Energy Summit) can become practical platforms to connect projects with capital and to ensure investments are matched by local capability and training,” he explained.

Ewanehi called for the formalisation and operationalization of the maritime cooperation frameworks – moving the Yaoundé Code from good intent to binding, enforceable practice.

He also called for the acceleration of practical support for the CMTF/ASF in the form of logistics, funding and coordinated air/sea lift, so that private capital can be deployed with confidence.

 Ewanehi also recommended security measures with clear local content and financing pathways so that African oil and gas, as well as the maritime industry can scale in lockstep with infrastructure investment.

He pledged the readiness of his company, an industry leader in pipe manufacturing and coating services, to collaborate with governments, multilateral institutions, DFIs, and regional organizations to leverage its expertise for sustainable economic growth and strategic partnerships.

“Let the Gulf of Guinea be remembered not for what holds us back, but for what it propels us toward: Shared prosperity, secure trade corridors, and a resilient African industrial future,” he added.

It will be recalled that at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held in Houston, Texas, United States of America (USA), Solewant Group showcased its leadership position in technological innovation in the global oil and gas industry, in a powerful presentation before international and Nigerian audience. At the IATF 2025 in Algiers, Solewant Group presented its diversified portfolio: Solewant Nigeria Limited (SNL) – Africa’s largest multi-layer pipe coating plant, delivering 3LPE, 3LPP, 5LPP, FBE, and Concrete Weight Coating solutions; Field Joint Coatings Ltd. (FJCL) – Onshore and offshore field joint coating and rehabilitation services; and SSPC – Specialty protective paints and coatings. Others include: Pipe and Metals Industries Ltd. (PMI) – Steel pipe and metal fabrication; and SETI – Industry-focused energy training and certification.

At the NOGOF 2025, Ewanehi announced the unveiling of ‘Solewant Group Roadmap Plus to deepen its advancement in technological innovation and also boost its contributions to Nigeria’s industrial development and energy transition. The unveiling of the ‘Solewant Group Roadmap Plus’ was part of the company’s renewed commitment to its 10-year strategic vision. The company is hosting the 9th Energy Summit, themed “Emerging Technologies and the Future of Sustainable Energy Development in Africa,” on November 27 and 28, 2025, in Onne, Rivers State.

.Yusuf, an investment analyst, writes from New York, United States.