Experts Declare Natural Gas Key To Africa Economic Growth

Industry experts have affirmed natural gas as Africa’s transformational fuel for bridging energy security and powering industrialisation.

This was stated at the second edition of Sahara Group’s thought leadership forum held at the weekend in Lagos. Nigeria highlighted Gas as the bridge between energy access and renewable transition, the need for $100 billion annual investments in African energy infrastructure, and the Media’s critical role in shaping accurate energy transition narratives.

The minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, represented by the Senior Technical Adviser, Abel Nsa said Africa needs to urgently address the narrative of ‘Africa’s energy paradox’.

He said, “according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Africa accounts for over seven per cent of global natural gas reserves, with Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Mozambique holding the majority of these volumes. And yet, the continent consumes less than five per cent of global gas output. This mismatch between potential and utilisation must be addressed with urgency and purpose.”

Applauding Sahara Group for shaping public discourse through Asharami Square, Ekpo said the platform can help bridge the gap between intention and action, and between information and transformation.

According to the minister, harnessing the power of gas demands bold investments in infrastructure, pipelines that connect supply to demand, virtual pipelines that reach the underserved, and financing frameworks that de-risk investments and incentivise private-sector participation.

“Natural gas is not merely a transitional fuel. It is a transformational fuel. It can power our industries, energise our homes, reduce dependence on more polluting fuels, and drive the engine of inclusive economic growth.”

Asset manager PSC, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS),  Frank Mmamelu, reiterated the socio-economic value of gas in Africa. He stated that gas has the potential to lift millions out of poverty by supporting agriculture, improving access to clean domestic energy, reducing deaths caused by pollution, and addressing gender inequality.

He stressed the need for local capacity building across the gas value chain, noting that reducing the export of unrefined resources should be a top priority.

Energy communications expert, Dr. Adeola Yusuf, urged government and private institutions to facilitate seamless access to data and critical information that will support holistic understanding and fact-based reporting of the issues to promote accountability, transparency and stamp out greenwashing.

The director of Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, Ejiro Gray highlighted the importance of contextualising sustainability within Africa’s unique developmental realities.

Gray explained that while global attention often centres on carbon emissions and net-zero targets, African nations face distinct challenges around access, equity, and economic inclusion, saying that gas offers a critical opportunity to bridge these gaps.