By Precious Mark
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has declared that Nigeria is targeting 30 million tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production per year, positioning natural gas as the main driver of the country’s economic growth.
Ekpo made this known on Tuesday during his Ministerial Address at the NOG Energy Week 2026 in Abuja.
The Minister delivering his Ministerial Address at the NOG Energy Week 2026 in Abuja.He noted that the expansion of Nigeria LNG is central to this plan, with the ongoing Train 7 Project expected to add 8 million tonnes to the current capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum.
“The expansion of Nigeria LNG (NLNG) remains central to this vision. Building upon our current baseline capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum, the ongoing Train 7 Project will add an explosive 8 MTPA, driving our total production capacity to 30 MTPA upon completion,” he said.
The Minister also announced two major international recognitions for Nigeria. On July 2, 2026, the International Energy Agency (IEA) admitted Nigeria as its newest association country, making it the first OPEC member and the sixth African nation to attain that status.
He also revealed that Nigeria has assumed the Presidency of the 2026 Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Ministerial Meeting, with Nigerian representative Dr. Philip Mshelbila elected as the GECF Secretary-General.
“This dual leadership at the helm of the world’s premier gas alliance reflects international confidence in our technical expertise and policy vision,” Ekpo stated.
With 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, the largest in Africa, Ekpo said Nigeria is shifting its focus from merely exporting resources to using gas to power the domestic economy.
“We are moving from a nation that simply possesses gas to a nation that is entirely powered by gas,” he said.
He attributed this progress to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and recent Executive Orders by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which he noted have shortened contracting timelines, provided fiscal incentives for gas development, removed bureaucratic bottlenecks, and restored investor confidence.
“Our message to the global investment community is unified and resolute: Nigeria is open for business, and we have established a stable, competitive, and highly predictable investment environment,” he added.
The Minister explained that the government’s priority under the Decade of Gas initiative is to deepen the domestic utilization of gas to power industries, fertilizer plants, and petrochemical plants, as well as to provide cleaner energy options for households.
He highlighted the National Clean Cooking Programme, which targets 5 million households to switch to LPG by 2030, and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, which is currently rolling out CNG conversion kits and refueling stations nationwide.
According to him, CNG will reduce transportation costs by up to 50% and provide relief to Nigerians facing high petrol prices.
Regarding infrastructure, Ekpo cited ongoing work on the AKK and OB3 gas pipelines to move gas from the South to industrial hubs in the North and West, as well as new processing plants designed to end routine gas flaring and boost LPG and condensate supply.
He further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional energy integration through the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, the Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline, and the Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline.
“Together with the continued expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline network and other regional interconnectivity initiatives, these projects represent strategic arteries of shared African prosperity, resilience, and global relevance,” he said.
Concluding his address, Ekpo said Nigeria has the resources, reforms, and infrastructure required to meet global energy demand responsibly.
“The defining question before us is not whether the world will need more energy, it will. The question is who will provide that energy responsibly, reliably, and competitively. Nigeria is prepared to answer that call. Nigeria is ready. Nigeria is open for business. Nigeria is investing in the future,” he said.