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Dr. Farouk Omar Ibrahim, Regional Chair for Africa, World Energy Council
- Guest Lecturer: Dr. Farouk Omar Ibrahim, Regional Chair, World Energy Council
- Theme: “Geopolitical Turbulence and Energy Security: Forging Strategic Opportunities for Africa”
- Date: Thursday, the 19th of November, 2025
- Venue: Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
- Time: 10 am
THE Management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, has announced that Dr. Farouk Omar Ibrahim, Regional Chair for Africa, World Energy Council, will deliver theRealnews14th Anniversary Lecture.
The lecture on “Geopolitical Turbulence and Energy Security: Forging Strategic Opportunities for Africa” will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, November 19, 2026, and will be chaired by Engr. Debo Fagbami, Managing Director, NEDO Gas Development Company Limited (NEDOGAS).
Dr. Ibrahim’s acceptance to deliver the lecture was communicated to Realnews in an email on April 13, 2026, stating: “I am pleased to inform you that I have accepted the invitation to speak at the 2026 Realnews Annual Lecture. I’ve been part of Realnews from the founding and so have a duty to honour its invitation. …Proud of where you have taken Realnews to. Keep doing well.”
Dr. Ibrahim, who has been the Regional Chair for Africa of the World Energy Council since 2022, is also a member of the pioneer Board of Directors of the newly established Africa Energy Bank, a project he midwifed in his position as APPO Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization, APPO, between January 2020 and January 2026.
Before becoming APPO Secretary General, Dr. Ibrahim was Adviser on International Energy Relations to four successive Ministers for Petroleum Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In that position, he represented Nigeria on the boards of several intergovernmental energy organizations. He was Nigeria’s Governor to the Vienna-based Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, 2015-2020, and Executive Board Member at the Doha-based Gas Exporting Countries’ Forum, GECF, 2015-2020. At the same time, he coordinated Nigeria’s affairs at the Riyadh-based International Energy Forum, IEF, and later the African Petroleum Producers’ Association, APPA.
Dr. Ibrahim was, between 2010 and 2014, General Manager and later Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, at the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
Before joining NNPC, Dr. Ibrahim spent seven years, February 2003 – February 2010, as Head of the PR and Information Department and Member of Senior Management at the OPEC Secretariat, in Vienna. During that period, he served as Executive Editor of the OPEC Energy Review and Editor-in-Chief of the OPEC Bulletin.
Before entering the oil and gas sector in 2003, Dr. Ibrahim worked in the media, where he served at various times as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Federal Government-owned media house, New Nigerian Newspapers Limited, between 1999 and 2003. He was also the chairman of the Board of Directors of Newpack Printing and Packaging Company Limited. Before coming to the New Nigerian, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim had spent nine years in various positions at the Daily Times of Nigeria, ranging from Member of the Editorial Board to a weekly columnist and Op-Ed Editor, General Manager, Nigerpack Press Limited, and Group Controller of Administration.
Ibrahim joined Bayero University Kano as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Political Science in 1981 after his National Service at the School of Basic Studies, Port Harcourt, and rose to the rank of Lecturer by the time he left academia for journalism in 1990.
As APPO Secretary General, Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim played a central role in the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, an institution that aims to address some of the funding challenges that the energy transition poses to the African oil and gas industry.
Dr. Ibrahim holds a PhD in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA, a Masters Degree from Bayero University, Kano, and a Bachelor’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Dr. Ibrahim has written many books and articles on the oil and gas industry.
Realnews, a general interest magazine, is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism. We have expertise in reporting on the oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges. We aim to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they face in their day-to-day activities. We do this with the understanding that the government can only positively influence people’s lives if it knows their true situation. Hence, our objective is to use our investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors we focus on and produce an unbiased report that will influence the government and decision-makers to take actions that will make society better.
Realnews is populated by seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. The online publication believes that journalism as the fourth Estate of the Realm, can contribute its quota towards building a fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected, and citizens have the freedom to pursue their interests anywhere in the world without hindrance. Its editors have a combined experience of several decades in active journalism practice and are highly dedicated to serving humanity. Hence, its motto: “For God and Humanity.”
Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate the best minds in our society and to tap into them to enrich the discourse in our national development.
Dr. Musa Adamu, SAN, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (2025), delivered the 13th Anniversary Lecture Series on “Cybersecurity, Illicit Financial Flows and Achieving Agenda 2063 in Africa”. The 12th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by His Excellency, Ambassador Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, on Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Demography, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources”. The 11th Anniversary Lecture in 2023 on The Threats of Illicit Funds Flow to the African Economy was delivered by Dr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director-General, ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). The 10th Anniversary lecture in 2022 on “Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implications for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections” was delivered by Brig General Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; the 9th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews in 2021 was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective”; 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience; Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa while Prof. Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 Lecture. The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President. The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative to West Africa and the Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on November 19, 2015, under the theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid? The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Signed:
Maureen Chigbo, PhDPublisher/Editor
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
A.I
Nov. 6, 2026
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