By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
The University of Ibadan community was agog on Friday as the Managing Director/CEO of Renaissance African Energy Company Limited, Chief Tony Attah, FNSE, returned to his alma mater with landmark projects and a strong message on Nigeria’s energy future following an invitation from the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) Worldwide.
Attah, who delivered the 2025 UIAA Annual Alumni Lecture/Homecoming, commissioned a state-of-the-art synthetic mini football pitch donated by Renaissance and its joint venture partners — NNPC Limited, TotalEnergies, and Agip Energy and Natural Resources.
The pitch, christened the “Renaissance JV Arena”, was described as a symbol of the group’s commitment to youth development and community upliftment.
The oil and gas executive also renovated the Independence Hall reading rooms, where he once lived as an undergraduate, and supported the solar-powered ‘Light Up UI’ project, executed by UI alumni working within Renaissance.
In appreciation of these contributions, the University of Ibadan Alumni Association bestowed on him the Most Distinguished Alumnus (MDA) Award and an Award of Excellence.
Delivering his lecture titled “Energy, Security and Economic Sustainability: The Role of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector in National Development,” Attah stressed that Nigeria’s economic progress hinges on eliminating energy poverty and embracing sustainable energy development.
“Energy and economic growth are inseparable. With energy security comes opportunities capable of transforming millions of lives,” he said.
He added that Renaissance African Energy was founded to lead a new phase of national development by positioning Nigeria at the centre of Africa’s industrialisation drive.
Attah was earlier welcomed at the Faculty of Technology by the Dean, Prof. Isaac Bamgboye, and other senior officials.
