By Mary Izuaka

 

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), says it is activating multiple pathways to position Nigeria as a global gas hub through increased production, infrastructure expansion and investment-friendly policies.

Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand, according to a statement by Andy Odeh, chief corporate communications officer of NNPC Ltd on Monday.

Speaking on a panel themed “The New LNG Order: Leadership Strategies for Energy Security and Growth”, Mr Ogunleye said Nigeria was leveraging its over 215 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas reserves to drive domestic industrialisation while expanding its export footprint amid global supply disruptions caused by geopolitics and conflict.

“Gas development and monetisation from Nigeria’s standpoint is a purely commercial play. NNPC Ltd is implementing a Gas Master Plan (GMP), engineered as a gap-to-potential tool to move Nigeria from a 215tcf reserves position to above 600tcf,” he said.

Production targets and policy framework

Mr Ogunleye said the company’s strategy is anchored on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Decade of Gas Framework and the GMP.

He stated that the near-term target is to ramp up national gas production to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day, Bcf/d, by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030.

According to him, Nigeria is already a reliable global supplier currently on a major expansion drive. He cited Trains 1-6 of the Nigeria LNG facility, which produce 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and have exported over 6,000 LNG cargoes since 1999.

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He added that Train 7 is due for completion in 2027 and will further boost output.

Dual strategy for domestic use and exports

He said Nigeria’s geographical position, with access to both Atlantic Basin and Asian markets, makes it a strategic supplier to global markets.

He noted that domestic gas utilisation and exports are not mutually exclusive under the country’s dual pathway approach.

“Exports will generate foreign exchange earnings while advancing domestic gas utilisation to create job opportunities, deepen energy security, and economic wellbeing,” he said.

He added that new LNG projects have been de-risked through a robust legal and regulatory framework backed by attractive fiscal incentives.

“With continued efforts towards stable security, competitive gas pricing and assured gas supply, there is no better time for investors and financiers to confidently participate in the development of Nigeria’s LNG projects,” he added.