OTC 2025: Ekpo harps on funding, R&D to unlock Nigeria’s gas potential
CHIGOZIE AMADI
To maximise Nigeria’s gas potential, there is a need to pursue sustainable bankable projects and invest in research and development (R&D) that aligned with global ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has said.
Mr. Ekpo spoke yesterday, during a Luncheon and Panel Session, themed: “Harnessing Nigeria’s Gas Potential for Domestic Utilisation and Global Export Market,” at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S.
He charged stakeholders in the energy sector to “act now, act decisively, and act together to harness our gas resources for domestic prosperity and global competitiveness.”
He noted that while gas resource is a gift, it is also a responsibility, a responsibility to deploy it for sustainable national development, industrialisation, job creation, and to contribute to global energy security.
Stressing the importance of R&D, the Minister argued that innovation will be the catalyst for success. “Technological advancements, from digital oilfield solutions to low-carbon gas processing and emissions monitoring, are reshaping how we produce and deliver energy,” he said.
He continued: “We must embrace these innovations, invest in Research and Development, and foster collaboration between academia, startups, and established industry leaders.
“Equally, we must address the financing challenge. Energy transition policies around the world are redirecting investment flows.”
To ensure that Nigeria’s gas resource does not remain only a potential, Mr. Ekpo assured that the Federal Government is doing its bit by creating a business environment that enables indigenous participation, to engender “a new gas era as innovators, financiers, operators, and exporters.”
This approach he said, rests on interconnected pillars:
Expanding domestic gas utilisation: We are intensifying investments in critical infrastructure — pipelines, processing plants, and distribution networks, to ensure that gas is accessible, affordable, and reliable for power generation, manufacturing, transport, and household consumption.
Programmes such as the Nigerian Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), the rollout of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative automotive fuel, and the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders to homes, particularly in rural areas, are pivotal to this goal.
Additionally, he said the government is removing barriers and creating incentives for small and large-scale gas-based industries, such as fertilizer plants and modular gas hubs.
This resource is a gift, but it is also a responsibility, a responsibility to deploy it for sustainable national development, industrialisation, job creation, and to contribute to global energy security.
Ongoing projects
To this end, the Minister also used the opportunity to list a number of ongoing projects to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global gas export market. These include :the NLNG Train 7 project; the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project; the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline Project;, the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline Project; and,the West African Gas Pipeline.
Furthermore, he said the government is also pursuing innovative projects like Floating LNG (FLNG) solutions, which provide flexible, scalable opportunities to monetize offshore gas resources, coupled with new regional integration projects, such as the Nigeria–Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline Agreement.
This, he said, “will enable us to commercialize stranded gas fields and supply gas to existing LNG infrastructure in Equatorial Guinea, positioning Nigeria even more strongly in global LNG markets.”
To enhance operational efficiency, the Minister noted that regulatory agencies – the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), are working tirelessly to enhance transparency, efficiency, and investor confidence.
He equally rcommended the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) “for consistently projecting Nigeria’s technological capabilities and creating platforms such as this to champion dialogue, partnership, and innovation in the global energy space.”
