By Passman Akpos
Tony Elumelu has taken another major step in Nigeria’s energy sector as his company, Heirs Energies, officially commissioned a state-of-the-art Integrated Operations Monitoring Centre (IOMC) to digitally manage operations at OML 17 in Rivers State.
The new digital nerve centre, launched on June 29, 2026, brings production monitoring, security surveillance, facility performance, and hydrocarbon evacuation into one unified real-time platform. The system enables operators to oversee the entire oilfield from a single screen, allowing faster decision-making, improved coordination, and greater operational efficiency.
Speaking during the commissioning, Heirs Energies Chief Executive Officer, Osa Igiehon, said the future of oil and gas operations will increasingly rely on data, technology, and intelligent decision-making rather than expanding workforce numbers. According to him, the new centre provides a real-time operational view that enhances collaboration and supports quicker responses across critical assets.
The commissioning marks another milestone in the transformation of OML 17 since Heirs Energies assumed operatorship from Shell in 2021. Oil production at the field has more than doubled from approximately 24,000 barrels per day to over 50,000 barrels daily, while gas production has risen to between 120 and 135 million standard cubic feet per day.
Today, OML 17 contributes about five percent of Nigeria’s crude oil production and five percent of its domestic gas supply, making it one of the country’s most strategic onshore energy assets.
Security is expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new technology. Located in Rivers State, OML 17 has operated in an area historically affected by pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. The digital monitoring centre incorporates advanced surveillance and intruder detection systems capable of identifying threats in real time, allowing quicker intervention to protect critical infrastructure.
The technology powering the facility was developed by Redtech, the technology arm of Heirs Holdings. According to Redtech Managing Director and CEO Emmanuel Ojo, the platform demonstrates how locally developed technology can simplify industrial operations, improve decision-making, and deliver measurable business value for Africa’s energy sector.
Unlike many multinational energy companies that depend heavily on foreign technology providers, Heirs Holdings leveraged its own Nigerian technology subsidiary to design and deploy the platform, highlighting the group’s strategy of building indigenous digital capabilities for Africa’s industrial future.
The company also revealed that the new infrastructure lays the foundation for future innovations, including predictive analytics, remote operations, and artificial intelligence-driven decision support, as Heirs Energies continues to modernize one of Nigeria’s largest oil-producing assets.
