Distinguished Honours & Awards 2026

The Aret Adams Award is named in honour of Late Chief Aret Adams in recognition of his commitment to excellence and it is the highest and most distinguished award of the Association. The Award is instituted to recognize a member who has attained Industry/National/Global visibility and earned undisputable respect as a professional and leader within the energy industry nationally and/or globally.

The Ben Osuno Pioneer’s Award is named in honour of Ogbueshi Ben Osuno in recognition of his pioneering contributions to the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The Award recognizes and celebrates excellence and outstanding contributions by an individual member or a team, or a corporate member, for pioneering activities in the field of the earth sciences in general, and the Nigerian Oil and Gas/energy industry. The award honours members who by their individual or collective actions, have demonstrated exceptional creativity, innovation and leadership, in proposing, pioneering and/or transforming approaches to major challenges in the oil and gas industry or the academia, or in the field of research, or application of research, or education, or technology, or publications, or products and services, or administration, or operations, or government policy and advocacy. This award is NAPE’s second most distinguished award, second to the Aret Adams Award.

The NAPE Fellowship is a distinguished honour given in recognition of professionalism and service to the Association. The Award honours NAPE Active members who have distinguished themselves by their long-term service and devotion to the science and profession of petroleum geology and to the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE). Fellows are expected to continue their active membership and exemplary service to the Association after their award, including the payment of membership dues (until such person becomes an Emeritus member) and participation in NAPE events.

This is a distinguished honour given to a non-member, who in the opinion of the Executive Committee has consistently contributed distinguished and sustained services to the Association, the energy industry, or the cause of the geosciences and energy mineral sciences for a minimum of ten years. Such contributions may include but not limited to, sponsorship of NAPE and industry events, advocacy, organization or support for educational initiatives by NAPE, using his/her position or influence to benefit NAPE and the energy industry. Honorary Members shall not be liable to pay annual dues but shall receive free copies of all publications of the Association and be entitled to attend the annual conference without paying the registration fee. Membership shall be held for life unless such member violates the code of ethics of the Association or relinquishes the Award.

The NAPE Outstanding Earth Science Lecturer Award (NOELA) honours NAPE members who, through active leadership and scholarly endeavours over a period of not less than ten (10) years, have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of education in the earth sciences (professional practice involving the application of geoscience and related disciplines to the exploration and exploitation) of petroleum and related mineral resources and to the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) and helped to foster students’ lifelong learning and success.