L – R: Asset Manager, Renaissance Africa Energy Company, Trost Amos; Vice President, Production, Meshach Maichibi; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tony Attah; His Majesty King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI, Amanyanabo of Bonny; Renaissance’s General Manager, Government and Community Relations, Evans Krukrubo; and the General Manager, Security, Suoton Bereprebofa, at the Bonny Island Tourism and Investment Summit, in Bonny
BONNY — Renaissance Africa Energy Company has reaffirmed its support for Bonny Kingdom’s drive to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas, backing efforts to position the historic island as a major tourism, cultural and investment destination in Nigeria and Africa.
Renaissance Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Tony Attah made the commitment on Wednesday at the Bonny Island Tourism and Investment Summit, tagged Discover Bonny, which brought together government officials, traditional leaders, investors, development partners and private-sector executives to explore the island’s economic potential.
The summit is designed to showcase Bonny’s history, culture, heritage, natural attractions and hospitality while creating new investment opportunities and alternative sources of economic growth beyond its established role in Nigeria’s energy industry.
Bonny Island hosts major oil and gas infrastructure, including the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal, operated by the Renaissance-led joint venture, and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG).
Attah said, however, that Bonny’s economic identity should extend beyond its contribution to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“The story of Bonny did not begin with energy, and it should not be limited to energy,” he said.
According to him, the Discover Bonny initiative is intended to introduce the island’s cultural heritage and historical significance to a wider global audience rather than create an entirely new identity for the Kingdom.
“Discover Bonny is not the creation of a new identity but a clarion call and invitation to the rest of the world to come discover the island’s rich culture, heritage, history, and hospitality,” Attah said.
Attah described the initiative as the revival of an established strength and the beginning of a new phase for Bonny as a tourism destination and an emerging economy beyond hydrocarbons.
He said Renaissance’s support for the initiative reflected its broader approach to sustainable development, which prioritises partnerships and shared prosperity in communities connected to its operations.
“Our role as a Tier 1 partner is not ceremonial. It is a statement of confidence,” Attah said, expressing confidence in Bonny’s potential, the leadership of the traditional institution and the capacity of its people.
He added that sustainable tourism could complement Bonny’s established energy economy by creating new opportunities for residents, businesses and investors.
The push is particularly significant for Bonny as the global energy transition increases the importance of economic diversification in communities and regions historically dependent on oil and gas.
The Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, said the Kingdom possesses significant opportunities across tourism, culture, commerce and investment.
The monarch highlighted Bonny’s historical importance, natural attractions and human capital as assets that could support its emergence as a globally recognised destination.
He called attention to the potential for closer collaboration between traditional institutions, government and the private sector to unlock the Kingdom’s economic opportunities.
Also speaking at the summit, NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Adeleye Falade called for stronger collaboration among corporate stakeholders operating in Bonny.
“We see a future where Bonny is not just an industrial hub but welcoming to tourists from all over the world, which depends largely on collaboration,” Falade said.
The summit featured discussions on destination development, sustainable tourism, heritage preservation, investment promotion and partnership models for unlocking Bonny’s economic potential.
The Discover Bonny initiative is expected to serve as a platform for promoting the Kingdom’s cultural heritage, ecological assets, tourism attractions and investment opportunities to domestic and international audiences.
Bonny has also received endorsement from the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy as a tourism destination.
Among the attractions highlighted are the Amanyanabo’s Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the historic British Consulate, Finima Nature Park and Bonny’s distinctive mangrove ecosystem.
The combination of historic landmarks, coastal landscapes, biodiversity and established energy infrastructure gives Bonny the potential to develop a diversified economic model linking tourism, culture, hospitality, conservation and investment.
For Renaissance, the initiative also provides an opportunity to align its community and sustainability objectives with a broader economic-development strategy for the Kingdom.
If successfully implemented, the tourism push could help Bonny capture greater value from its cultural and environmental assets while creating new employment and investment opportunities alongside its long-standing role as an important Nigerian energy hub.
