Uche Cecil Izuora
Nigeria’s global reckoning in gas export is burgeoning with broader expansion drive by the Nigeria LNG .
The Company says beside its current market position is redefining its growth ambition to elevate its current global market share of the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).
Nigeria through the NLNG contributes 6 per cent to the world’s total LNG supply pool, positioning Nigeria as a key player in the international gas market despite domestic challenges.
This is according to the Managing Director of the Nigeria LNG, Engr. Adeleye Falade, in his fact behind the figures report presented to the media in Lagos on Tuesday.
Falade, said discussions on growth prospects is currently on the drawing board as the Company targets bringing into its next phase Trains 8, 9 and 10.
The Company is strengthening its position through the Train 7 project, which has reached over 92 per cent completion. The $5 billion project will expand NLNG’s production capacity by 35 per cent, from 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA, positioning Nigeria to become one of the world’s top LNG exporters while meeting growing international demand.
Beyond boosting exports, Train 7 is expected to deepen local industrial capacity and create significant economic value.
The project has generated over 10,000 direct jobs, with more than 13,000 Nigerians employed at peak construction. It has also strengthened local manufacturing through the supply of structural steel, cables and engineering services by Nigerian firms, while promoting skills development through partnerships with universities and technical training programmes.
The project, approved by NLNG shareholders in 2019 and executed despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to monetising its vast gas resources under the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative. Industry stakeholders believe the experience gained from Train 7 will support future projects, including the proposed Train 8, while enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global LNG market.
Falade, said the NLNG, has generated $149.6 billion in revenue since operations began, and paid $10.8 billion in taxes to the Federal Government since becoming tax compliant in 2009.
He described the numbers as evidence of NLNG’s role as “a success story in Nigeria’s energy sector.”
“We have made $149.6 billion in revenue by 2026,” Falade said. “$10.8 billion has also been paid in tax to the Federal Government right from the time we became tax compliant.” He added that the company has also remitted $47.2 billion in dividends to shareholders, including the Federal Government, which holds the largest stake.
The NLNG boss said the company currently operates six liquefaction trains with an asset base valued at over $22.9 billion. It has also built a fleet of 20 dedicated LNG ships and has loaded more than 6,285 LNG cargoes for global markets since inception.
Beyond exports, NLNG is playing a critical role in Nigeria’s domestic energy transition. Falade said the company supplied 500,000 tonnes of cooking gas, LPG, to the Nigerian market last year alone, helping to deepen access to cleaner cooking fuel.
He linked the company’s operations to a sharp reduction in gas flaring nationwide. According to him, NLNG’s gas gathering and utilization model has helped crash Nigeria’s gas flare rate from 65 per cent to less than 20 per cent.
Falade also highlighted NLNG’s impact on public health and infrastructure. He noted that over 470,000 Nigerians die annually from illnesses linked to firewood and other dirty cooking fuels. The company’s LPG push, he said, is directly addressing that burden.
On Corporate Social Responsibility, the MD cited the completion of the N120 billion Bonny-Bodo Road as one of Nigeria’s biggest CSR projects. The 40km road, he said, provides the first mainland connection to Bonny Island and has transformed movement and commerce in Rivers State.