At ARDA Week 2026, our members and sponsors were honoured to view a prerecorded message of congratulations from Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, marking this 20th anniversary event.

View the full message (with English and French subtitles) below.

Lors de l’ARDA Week 2026, nos membres et sponsors ont eu l’honneur de visionner un message de félicitations préenregistré du chef Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, ancien président de la République fédérale du Nigéria, à l’occasion de cet événement marquant le 20e anniversaire.

Regardez le message complet (avec sous-titres en anglais et en français) ci-dessous.

I must start by congratulating the African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA) on your 20th Anniversary. Two decades of driving downstream transformation is no small feat. I say, well done.

I have always believed that for Africa’s development and progress, we must stop being merely exporters of raw materials and start to add value to enhance what we can get of our products. For too long, we have shipped crude oil across the oceans, only to import refined products at exorbitant prices. This is not just bad economics; it is bad for development and political economy.

Energy Security as a Foundation for Industrialisation: I have often said that energy is the lifeblood of modern industrialisation. You cannot power factories, build infrastructure, or digitalise agriculture without a consistent, affordable, and secure supply of energy. Without energy security, our industrialisation efforts are built on shaky foundation.

African Solutions to African Problems: In 2026, the imperative for African solutions to African problems has never been stronger. We cannot rely on external players to secure our energy future. We must strengthen our refineries, enhance our distribution networks, and create an interconnected logistical system that serves the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). When we refine our resources within our borders, we create jobs, build capacity, and ensure that maximum wealth stays on the continent.

Geopolitical Context: Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East: The ongoing volatility and conflict in the Middle East, the lingering disruption caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the shifting paradigms in the global North have taught us a hard lesson: external dependency is a risk to our national sovereignty.

These global crises are a wake-up call for Africa to take charge of its own destiny. We must build our own infrastructure—pipelines, storage depots, and refineries—to shield our people from the economic shocks from foreign wars and conflicts.

Closing Remarks: As you gather in Cape Town to set the agenda for the next phase of our energy journey, I urge you to look beyond technical specifications and focus on strategic execution.

• Build local technical capacity.
• Finance our own downstream infrastructure.
• And harmonise fuel specifications to facilitate intra-African trade.

African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA), you have done well, but the job of fully electrifying and powering Africa is just beginning. Make this 20th anniversary a lifting point.

Thank you. May God continue to bless Africa.