In the South-Western part of Nigeria, among the Yorubas, there lives a bird known as Aparo. It is a creature full of lessons and wisdom; the same bird the English refer to as partridge, quail, or bush fowl. Proverbs tied to the Aparo abound, all circling the subject of foresight, provision, and the quiet diligence required to secure the future. Two of such proverbs come to mind: ‘Eni to fi ago ko eyin aparo,ohun oju wa ni oju nri’ (He who decides to poke the partridge’s nest will find much trouble, as the bird is fiercely protective); ‘Aparo kan ko ga ju ikan lo, afi eyi to ba gun ori’ (No partridge is taller than another, except the one that stands on a mound, referencing that human beings are essentially equal without situational advantage.
But in the deep offshore waters of the South-West Bonga field, out in the Niger Delta oil-rich region, Aparo is no longer just a bird, but a geography of opportunities. It has become the vehicle for an engineering feat and an economic juggernaut beneath the sea. The Bonga Southwest/Aparo project (BSWAp), in its sheer scale and ambition, is the equivalent of ten Burj Khalifas rising from the seabed to the open skies, carrying with it the promise of oil, gas, and transformative opportunities for all Nigerians. With a projected investment of up to $21 billion, it commands attention, especially when it is happening in your own national backyard.
Here in Nigeria, we often struggle to appreciate what we cannot see or touch. But the BSWAp is very real, and its implications are staggering. This is not merely another oil field. It is a statement, a signal that Nigeria is once again open for the kind of large-scale, capital-intensive investment that has been conspicuously absent since the last major offshore Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2008.
That oil field has existed for millions of years, surely long before the existence of a geography called Nigeria. Meanwhile, Shell and its fellow reputable International Oil Companies (IOCs) have operated globally, making decisions on where to deploy their resources for maximum returns. Those decisions are invariably influenced by policy stability, availability of manpower, and the broader oil and gas ecosystem. So, when I tell you that securing this investment is a big deal, then it is for real.
Now, let us give credit to whom it is due. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu it was who approved a landmark reform that replaces project-by-project negotiations with a transparent, rules-based investment framework designed to unlock up to $50 billion in deep offshore investment. Given effect through the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, this framework establishes clear eligibility criteria and a durable architecture that provides greater certainty for investors while safeguarding long-term national value.
This is not just another policy announcement. As President Tinubu himself noted: ‘The countries that attract long-term investment are not necessarily those with the greatest natural resources. They are the ones that provide the greatest certainty’. This reform demonstrates a determination to build an investment environment defined by clear rules, strong institutions, and enduring partnerships.
Perhaps the fact that President Tinubu had his own career as an oil and gas professional has something to do with it, but his penchant for walking the talk is positively refreshing. Rather than give a mandate and go to sleep, his administration has consistently challenged the status quo, standing ready to remove bottlenecks and engage with stakeholders for resolution of longstanding disputes. The industry regulators deserve commendation too. With square pegs in square holes, the upstream regulators are not learning on the job. As a former Executive Vice President, Upstream, at NNPC Ltd, Commision Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan is in familiar waters, cutting through red-tape like a knife on butter.
The critical enabler in the country though, for all things energy-related, remains NNPC. To the untrained eye, NNPC is all about gas stations and refineries. To those in the corridors of power and with careers in finance and energy, it is the most important economic entity in the country, besides the Presidency. NNPC deserves credit repeatedly for building a world-class organisation and value-chain despite the political pressures of yore.
Under the new upstream regime, Nigerian content plan approvals now carry a strict 10-day deadline, with automatic consent granted if regulators fail to respond. Contracting cycles that once stretched up to 18 months have been compressed to as little as four to six months, while targeted tax incentives have been introduced to stimulate deepwater and gas investments. The board has also eliminated the use of intermediaries and shell entities that previously inflated costs and weakened project execution, with certification guidelines now requiring physical verification of assets.
The BSWAp is expected to be one of Nigeria’s largest deepwater developments, with the potential to attract $15 billion to $21 billion in investment over the life of the project. The development is expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy through increased oil and gas production, government revenues, foreign exchange earnings, local content development, employment, and expanded opportunities for Nigerian businesses.
The project will strengthen Nigerian content through increased contracting opportunities for indigenous companies, enhance local fabrication, marine, and engineering capabilities, facilitate technology transfer and skills development, and create lasting value across the wider Nigerian economy. It will position Nigeria as Africa’s regional hub for deep offshore project execution.
When the current administration mentioned three million barrels per day as the destination in the years ahead for our crude oil output and 12 billion scf for gas, I felt it was quite ambitious. But with the moves with executive orders and clarity of policy direction and alignment, I have seen enough to be confident of results.
The BSWAp is the embodiment of this new confidence. It is the Burj Khalifa of Nigeria’s deepwater, rising from the seabed to the open skies, carrying with it not just oil and gas, but the hopes and aspirations of a nation ready to reclaim its place as an energy powerhouse.
The Aparo bird, with its lessons of wisdom and provision, reminds us that preparation meets opportunity. Nigeria has prepared. The opportunity is now. And the benefits, for businesses, for jobs, for our people, are just beginning to unfold.