The minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has said Nigeria’s 210 trillion cubic feet of gas will drive economic growth and industrial expansion.
Speaking after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ekpo said the country’s recent victory at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar, would open new opportunities for investment and energy-sector transformation.
He disclosed that Dr Philip Mshelbila, the managing director of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), was elected as the new secretary general of the GECF. At the same time, he (Ekpo) was appointed President of the GECF Ministerial Council for 2026.
“This is a big win for Nigeria,” Ekpo said. “With our candidate, Dr Mshelbila, now leading the global gas organisation and my appointment as president of the ministerial council, Nigeria will gain more visibility in the gas space. This will attract investment, create jobs, and help us utilise our 210 trillion cubic feet of gas to drive the economy.”
The minister said the development reflected President Tinubu’s focus on fully utilising Nigeria’s vast gas reserves to promote industrialisation, energy security, and economic stability.
“For a long time, we didn’t have sufficient investment in gas,” he said. “With this global leadership role, we expect more collaboration with other gas-exporting countries, which will bring projects into Nigeria’s upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.”
Responding to questions on the scarcity of gas for vehicles and households, Ekpo said the new international attention on Nigeria would boost domestic supply as private investors expand pipeline networks across the country.
“It’s going to be a game-changer,” he added. “With increased exploration and better infrastructure, more gas will reach the nooks and crannies of the country.”
Ekpo said President Tinubu congratulated both him and Mshelbila for the country’s success at the forum and urged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.
In his remarks, Mshelbila said his election as Secretary-General of the GECF, which controls about 70 per cent of global gas reserves and nearly half of the world’s LNG exports, would enable Nigeria to play a stronger role in shaping global gas policy.
“Nigeria has always been seen as gas-rich but under-exploited,” Mshelbila said. “This role will help us attract the attention and investment needed to unlock our gas potential.”
Mshelbila’s tenure as the secretary general of the GECF will begin in January 2026.
