On 6 October 2026, the Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) arm of NNPC Limited was honoured with the “Driving Energy Innovation in Nigeria Through Technology and Research” award at the 2026 Nigeria Innovation Awards, concluding the 11th Nigeria Innovation Summit at Lagos’s MUSON Centre. The ceremony recognised the division’s contributions to research, automation and new fuel‑conversion technologies.
Key facts:
- The award was presented during a one‑day hybrid summit organised by InnovationHub Africa under the theme “Innovating in the Age of AI.”
- RTI’s Chief Innovation Officer, Rasheed O. Ojulari, and Head of Innovation Development, Abubakar Mudi, featured as speakers and participants.
- The division, established on 16 March 2020, has produced research papers, automation tools and a patented fuel‑conversion kit.
- A quoted NNPC spokesperson said, “The cost of obsolescence would be greater than the cost of innovation.”
**What is the RTI division?**
[NNPC RTI](https://rti.nnpcgroup.com/) was created to coordinate research and develop technology for NNPC Limited, covering frontline operations, back‑office processes and emerging revenue streams. Its public output includes a 2023 machine‑learning study that predicts total organic carbon from well‑log data at the Kolmani field, and an April 2024 paper outlining a framework for metal additive manufacturing in African oil and gas.
**How does the unit blend research and hardware?**
The award’s title reflects RTI’s dual focus. On the research side, the division maintains a library of studies such as the aforementioned machine‑learning model and additive‑manufacturing framework. On the technology side, it launched a robotic bank‑reconciliation tool in Abuja in November 2023 to streamline accounting for NNPC Retail Limited and other subsidiaries, forming part of a broader robotic process automation programme. It also runs an upstream project aimed at improving drilling rate of penetration, which it claims could reduce drilling time and cost, although no specific figures have been disclosed.
**Which products have gained visibility?**
RTI’s most publicised invention is TriFA, a kit that enables a tricycle to operate on petrol, compressed natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. The unit holds patents on TriFA and its dual‑fuel variant, BiFA. In October 2023, the Petroleum Training Institute announced a collaboration with RTI to adapt gas‑conversion technology for tricycles and cars, targeting a reduction in petrol demand for transport.
**What recent partnerships support the award?**
In August 2025, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund signed an MoU with NNPC Limited to pursue joint research, energy‑efficiency projects, renewable‑energy initiatives and workforce development, with RTI acting as the implementation arm. In April 2026, NNPC entered a similar agreement with Algeria’s [Sonatrach](https://www.sonatrach.com/) for research and technology exchange during an African Petroleum Producers’ Organization forum for R&D; directors in Abuja. At that forum, Chief Innovation Officer Rasheed O. Ojulari was appointed chair, with priorities including upstream optimisation, artificial intelligence, decarbonisation and industrial systems.
**How is the government fostering innovation pipelines?**
On 17 April, RTI’s Olaniyi Olatomiwa met with the Director‑General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, in Abuja. NITDA pledged support for building an innovation pipeline linked to Nigerian startups through incubation programmes and challenge events, though specific programmes have yet to be announced.
**What lies ahead for RTI?**
The division continues to collaborate with corporations, universities, public agencies and individual researchers. It offers fellowships, a corporate venturing programme for startups, and “InnoVerse,” a platform for public idea submissions. Planned activities include a hackathon, a build‑a‑thon and a series of innovation days, with dates to be confirmed. The recent award underscores that RTI’s research and technology efforts are gaining national recognition.