Nigeria has declared its readiness to leverage its vast gas resources to drive Africa’s energy transition, industrial growth and economic stability, as the continent battles widespread energy poverty.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said Nigeria must take leadership in deploying gas as a strategic tool for development, noting that gas remains central to the country’s energy and industrialisation roadmap.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ojulari described gas as Nigeria’s bridge to a cleaner energy future and a catalyst for export-driven growth.
"Nigeria’s pathway to a prosperous future lies in our collective ability to leverage our resource abundance, especially as gas sits at the heart of our strategy. It is our bridge to a cleaner future, our engine for industrialisation, and our foundation for export-led growth,” he said.
Ojulari highlighted what he termed Africa’s energy trilemma, pointing out that despite the continent’s vast energy endowment, more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity due to challenges of accessibility, affordability, and sustainability.
"With over 600 million Africans still lacking electricity, the continent’s priority cannot be a copy and paste," he said.
"Ours must be a just, equitable, people-centred energy transition that lifts people out of poverty, powers industries, supports agriculture, transforms transportation, and unlocks the creativity of Africa’s youth.”
He disclosed that Nigeria, with an estimated 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, is well positioned to lead Africa’s energy transformation.
Ojulari further revealed that NNPC Ltd has rolled out a new Gas Masterplan and is accelerating critical gas infrastructure projects, including the Obiafu Obrikom Oben pipeline, the Ajaokuta Kaduna Kano gas pipeline, and the expansion of the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System.
"These projects are more than pipelines. They are highways for economic opportunity,” he said, adding that NNPC Ltd is committed to serving not only as a commercial entity but also as a driver of peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.
