…Cites $3.5bn Investments, Rising Production, Infrastructure Growth, IEA Membership
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has outlined major gains in Nigeria’s gas sector in the three years since his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing higher reserves and production, about $3.5 billion in investment commitments, expanding infrastructure and growing domestic demand for cleaner fuels.
Speaking at a media parley with energy correspondents and editors in Abuja on Friday, Ekpo said Nigeria’s proven gas reserves had risen from approximately 208.83 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in 2023 to 215.19 TCF as of January 1, 2026, while average gas production increased from 6.86 billion cubic feet per day (BCF/D) to approximately 7.5 BCF/D. Domestic gas supply has also crossed the 2 BCF/D mark.
Ekpo attributed the sector’s progress to President Bola Tinubu’s policy direction and the institutional framework of the Decade of Gas initiative, which has received presidential approval for institutionalisation to sustain coordination, implementation and accountability in translating Nigeria’s vast gas resources into economic growth, industrial development, energy security and employment.
According to the Minister, four major gas projects reached Final Investment Decision (FID) during the period, attracting combined investment commitments of approximately $3.5 billion. The projects include Iseni, valued at $122 million; Ubeta, at $566 million; HI Project, at $2 billion; and Ima Project, at $800 million.
He said Nigeria remained open to genuine investors and credible partners, with the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, committed to creating an enabling environment for investments that bring capital, technology, jobs and sustainable economic value.
The Minister said the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) had emerged as a major driver of infrastructure development, with ₦671 billion in public funding attracting approximately ₦1.6 trillion in private investment.
The funding supports 31 projects and 205 infrastructure assets, expected to deliver about 475 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscf/D) to the domestic market when fully operational. The broader ambition, he said, is to mobilise approximately $30 billion in gas investments by 2030.
Ekpo also announced that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Pipeline had reached 100 per cent completion, with pre-commissioning concluded ahead of first gas following completion of the technically challenging River Niger crossing. With a capacity of 2 BCF/D, the pipeline is expected to unlock more than 500 MMscf/D of additional domestic gas supply and improve connectivity between gas-producing regions and major consumption centres.
The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, he added, was approximately 95 per cent complete and would provide a critical link for expanding gas supply to northern Nigeria, supporting industrialisation, power generation and wider economic activity.
In the gas-to-power segment, Ekpo said the National Economic Council had approved approximately ₦185 billion in validated legacy debt payments owed to upstream gas producers, an intervention aimed at restoring commercial discipline, strengthening investor confidence and improving gas supply reliability to power plants.
He said Nigeria LNG (NLNG) capacity utilisation had risen from approximately 59 per cent in 2023 to about 87 per cent year-to-date in 2026, while the Train 7 project, targeted for completion in June 2027, will add approximately 8 MTPA to the existing 22 MTPA capacity, taking total production capacity to about 30 MTPA. The expansion is expected to increase export earnings, strengthen gas processing and support domestic LPG supply.
On domestic utilisation, Ekpo said the government had made significant progress in promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative transportation fuel, with converted vehicles rising from approximately 11,000 in 2023 to more than 120,000.
The government is targeting at least one million CNG-powered vehicles and up to 1,000 refuelling stations nationwide to expand access to cleaner, more affordable transportation and increase domestic gas utilisation.
In the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) segment, Ekpo said the administration was pursuing an ambitious programme to expand access to cleaner cooking energy, with an immediate target of reaching five million households by 2030.
He disclosed that distribution of 27,000 free LPG cylinders per state had commenced, while President Tinubu had approved the extension of the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme to 2060. The long-term programme is expected to provide a pathway for reaching more than 10 million households.
The Minister further disclosed that 42 companies had been awarded contracts to harness flare gas and convert it into commercially useful products, including energy, industrial feedstock, LPG, CNG and electricity, as part of the government’s commitment to ending routine gas flaring by 2030.
Ekpo also highlighted Nigeria’s growing international profile in the gas industry, citing the emergence of Dr Philip Mshelbila as the first Nigerian Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), alongside Nigeria’s leadership of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting, where he serves as President, and the Committee of Ministers of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), which he chairs. He added that Nigeria’s acceptance as an Association Country of the International Energy Agency (IEA) further strengthens the country’s engagement in the global energy sector.
Looking ahead, he said the government would focus on accelerating project execution, raising gas production to 10 BCF/D in the near term and 12 BCF/D by 2030, strengthening gas supply to the power sector, expanding domestic utilisation and ensuring broader economic benefits from gas development.
