An energy expert, Olujimi Kayode-Sote, has called for a strategic shift towards smarter and more inclusive redevelopment of Africa’s mature oilfields, saying the approach would unlock vast underutilised energy potentials while supporting sustainability goals.
He said the global energy sector was undergoing rapid transformation with emphasis on maximising existing assets rather than focusing solely on new discoveries.
Citing a McKinsey projection that 40 to 50 per cent of global upstream investment would target existing assets over the next decade, Kayode-Sote noted that the trend aligned with Nigeria’s ambition to increase oil production to over two million barrels per day by 2030.
 The expert, in a statement on Friday, said, “The true challenge isn’t finding new oil but maximising what we already have, and so a strategic pivot toward smart brownfield redevelopment is vital.”
He recalled a notable achievement in which his team revived three long-shut-in wells that had been out of service due to poorly executed interventions.
 According to him, by using a diagnostics-driven approach and tailoring operations to reservoir data, the wells not only resumed stable production within six months but also delivered over 2.4 times their previous output while reducing intervention costs by 15 per cent.
“Reducing reliance on new drilling not only improves economics but also lowers project emissions. Today, sustainability and productivity are no longer separate goals—they are fundamentally intertwined,” he said.
Kayode-Sote added that brownfield redevelopment already accounted for nearly 65 per cent of global oil production but still held significant potential in Africa due to historically low recovery rates in many reservoirs.
He expressed interest in integrating digital innovation, particularly AI-driven tools, to enhance field performance through real-time monitoring and predictive analytics.
 “We need professionals who see energy not merely as a commodity, but as a platform for human progress—leaders who can connect operational excellence with long-term impact,” he said.
