NIGERIA · OIL & GAS
BusinessDay, a Nigerian business newspaper, reported on Tuesday 10 November 2026 that the chief executive of Seplat Energy said the company cannot be profitable if workers die. Effiong Udofia Okon made the remarks at a safety conference in Accra, Ghana.
Seplat Energy Plc is a Nigerian oil and gas producer. BusinessDay says it was named Energy Company of the Year at the event.
Key Facts
- Who Effiong Udofia Okon, chief executive of Seplat Energy, a Nigerian oil and gas producer.
- Where AfriSAFE, an African workplace-safety congress and awards, Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana, 5 and 6 November 2026.
- Message Okon said Seplat Energy would not be profitable if people die under its watch.
- Award Seplat Energy was named Energy Company of the Year; 35 organisations and individuals were recognised.
What Happened in Accra
BusinessDay reports that Okon spoke at the 2026 Africa Safety Congress and Awards, known as AfriSAFE. The two-day event ran on 5 and 6 November 2026 at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
The theme was “Safeguarding Lives, Securing the Future”. It was organised by HSENations International, which runs the congress.
BusinessDay quotes Okon as saying: “In fact, we will not be profitable if we have people die under our watch.” He added, in the same report, that it “is not the space anybody wants to be in.”BusinessDay also quotes him on the human cost of fatalities: “There is nothing as bad as having to call a spouse and say we just lost your partner.” He continued: “It is tough, and it is real.”
Support and Recognition
According to BusinessDay, Okon said Seplat Energy would continue to “support and sponsor” the initiative. BusinessDay adds that he said organisations have no meaningful future without a commitment to protecting human lives.
BusinessDay says Seplat Energy was named Energy Company of the Year, and that 35 organisations and individuals were recognised. BusinessDay says AfriSAFE’s chief executive, Femi Da-Silva, thanked the judging panel in his closing remarks.
What Is Not Known
BusinessDay’s report gave no figures on Seplat Energy’s own safety record. It does not say why Seplat Energy was chosen for the award.
More on Seplat
Earlier we reported on Seplat shares at a record and on a court ruling that voided a lawmakers’ order against the company. Our Nigeria coverage tracks the country’s oil producers.
More: Nigeria news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Effiong Udofia Okon?
He is the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy, a Nigerian oil and gas producer. BusinessDay reports he spoke at AfriSAFE 2026 in Accra.
What is AfriSAFE?
AfriSAFE is the Africa Safety Congress and Awards, organised by HSENations International. The 2026 edition ran on 5 and 6 November at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
Did Seplat Energy receive an award?
Yes. BusinessDay says Seplat Energy was named Energy Company of the Year, among 35 organisations and individuals recognised.
Sources: BusinessDay, We will not be profitable if workers die under our watch (10 Nov 2026).
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