Agency Report
The country is turning its vast natural gas reserves into a national engine for growth, using smart policy, local enterprise, and ambitious infrastructure to power homes, fuel industries, and redefine its place in the global energy map.
“Nigeria will work harder and be productive with our own gas. It is an economic necessity that we should embrace.” H.E. Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, President Of Nigeria
Nigeria has long sat atop a wealth of natural gas, with over 210 trillion cubic feet in reserves, making the country the largest gas holder in Africa and placing it among the top ten globally. For decades, these reserves remained underutilized, overshadowed by crude oil and hampered by infrastructure gaps and policy inertia. Framed by the federal government’s “Decade of Gas” initiative, Nigeria is now repositioning gas as the backbone of its economic development. The policy signals a strategic shift away from diesel and dependency toward cleaner, more reliable, homegrown energy. “Affordable, reliable energy is what drives manufacturing, education, and healthcare,” says Roger Brown, CEO of Seplat Energy. “We operate three onshore gas processing plants, and with our recent acquisition of ExxonMobil’s offshore assets, we expect to process up to one billion cubic feet of gas per day.”
Gas is now expected to do the heavy lifting by powering industries, fueling transport, and lighting homes. The change is rooted in policies that prioritize domestic utilization, energy security, and sustainable development. In areas like the Lekki Free Zone, Abuja, and Ibadan, pipelines have already been laid and compressed natural gas (CNG) stations commissioned, signaling real progress on the ground. “We are operating 22 CNG stations across Nigeria and have 12 more in different stages of construction,” says Nagendra Verma, Managing Director of Nipco Gas. One of the country’s most ambitious projects is the 614-kilometer Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline, designed to carry gas deep into northern Nigeria and unlock new industrial corridors. At the same time, the NLNG Train 7 project is expanding the country’s liquefied natural gas capacity by 35%, positioning Nigeria as a key player in global gas exports. “We are building an export terminal approved by the federal government, and we want to become full asset operators,” says Dr Vincent Ajilo, President and Group CEO of AJIVIN Group of Companies.
But the most stirring developments may be unfolding in the hands of local companies. Bell Oil & Gas, a wholly Nigerian-owned firm, recently commissioned a facility to fabricate valves and oil country tubular goods, a first for the country. “We were the first and remain the only local company with a composite pipe fabrication facility in the country,” says CEO Dr Kayode Thomas. “Our plant is staffed entirely by Nigerians, a deliberate choice to show the world that Nigerians have the skill and capacity to lead in this industry.” Local content is on the rise, with major projects like the Dangote Refinery set to become the world’s largest single-train refinery capable of processing 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Running alongside this domestic push is a broader regional vision embodied by the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline. Stretching nearly 7,000 kilometers across 13 West African countries, the US$25 billion project is among the longest offshore pipelines ever planned. With feasibility and engineering phases completed and a final investment decision expected soon, the pipeline promises to bring Nigerian gas to Europe while knitting together the energy networks of an entire region. It is as much a diplomatic project as an energy one.
The effects of this transformation are beginning to ripple outward. In industrial clusters, gas is reducing energy costs. In rural areas, it is offering alternatives to biomass and kerosene. Transport fleets are converting to CNG. Small businesses are finding new life in regions once deemed too remote or too risky.
Investors are watching the policy signals, the improved security, and the surge of local initiative. In 2024 alone, Nigeria’s gas sector attracted over US$5 billion in new investments, reflecting growing international confidence in the country’s energy reforms and infrastructure development. Notably, Nigeria accounted for three out of four Final Investment Decisions announced by global oil and gas majors in Africa, totaling US$13.5 billion, underscoring its position as a leading upstream investment destination on the continent.
Nigeria is indeed redefining its future with the tools it has long possessed, moving from aspiration to execution. In the workshops of Lekki, the pipelines of Ogun, and the terminals along the delta, that promise is being forged into progress. Culled From Forbes.