Nigeria is positioning natural gas at the centre of Africa’s economic rise, leveraging its vast reserves to drive industrialisation, expand electricity access, and strengthen regional energy security.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, made this known at the opening of the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stressing that Nigeria’s gas resources give it both the capacity and responsibility to lead Africa’s energy transition.
Ojulari said gas remains Nigeria’s most strategic resource, serving as the bridge between current energy needs and a cleaner future, while powering industries, boosting exports, and anchoring long-term economic growth.
He described Africa’s energy challenge as a three-way crisis of access, affordability, and sustainability, noting that despite the continent’s vast resources, more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity.
With about 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, Ojulari said Nigeria, through NNPC Ltd, is ready to change that narrative and provide energy solutions that are people-centred and development-driven.
He emphasised that Africa’s energy transition must reflect its realities, focusing on lifting millions out of poverty, powering industries, supporting agriculture, modernising transportation, and unlocking opportunities for the continent’s youth.
According to him, NNPC Ltd is driving this agenda not only as a commercial entity, but as a catalyst for peace, prosperity, and regional stability.
To accelerate gas adoption, Ojulari said NNPC Ltd has rolled out a new Gas Masterplan and is advancing critical infrastructure projects, including the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben gas pipeline, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline, and the expansion of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System.
He said these gas corridors are designed to open up industrial hubs, deepen domestic utilisation, and connect Nigerian gas to markets across Africa.
