Federal Govt Ties Green Industrialisation Drive To Gas Expansion, AKK, OB3 Pipelines

The federal government has tied the expansion of Nigeria’s gas sector and the rollout of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) and Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) gas pipelines to a broader push for green industrialisation, as it urges African leaders to convert climate action into tangible economic gains.

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, made the link on Thursday while delivering the host country address at the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) Technical Workshop in Abuja, where he stressed that reliable, affordable energy is fundamental to the continent’s industrial future.

Ekpo said Nigeria is advancing its gas agenda through the Decade of Gas Initiative, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, and major infrastructure projects such as the AKK and OB3 pipelines, even as it commits to cutting methane emissions, ending routine gas flaring and decarbonising petroleum operations.

Ekpo said Africa must move beyond repeatedly highlighting its development challenges and take decisive, practical steps to shape its industrial future, stressing that climate change, energy price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainties had created both significant challenges and new opportunities for the continent.

He said Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources, critical minerals, natural gas, agricultural potential and youthful population provided a strong foundation for accelerating green industrialisation and building competitive economies.

“Our ambition must go beyond exporting raw materials. We must build competitive African industries, develop integrated value chains and ensure that African resources generate African wealth,” he said.

The Minister stressed that reliable, affordable energy is fundamental to Africa’s industrialisation. He noted that natural gas has a critical role to play in power generation, fertiliser production, food security, petrochemicals and other industries.

He added, however, that responsible gas use must be matched by strong environmental stewardship, including cutting methane emissions, ending routine gas flaring and decarbonising petroleum operations.

Ekpo said Nigeria was already taking concrete steps to advance its gas sector through initiatives such as the Decade of Gas Initiative and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, alongside major infrastructure projects including the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project and the Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline Project. He added that Nigeria was also investing in gas-to-power projects, expanding access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and supporting renewable energy and other low-carbon technologies to strengthen energy security and advance a gradual transition to a lower-carbon economy.

“Africa must no longer be viewed merely as a recipient of climate finance, technology or externally defined development models. Africa must be an active architect of the global green economy,” Ekpo said.

The minister reiterated Nigeria’s full support for AGII and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to working with participating institutions and partners to translate the initiative’s vision into practical, bankable and scalable projects capable of delivering tangible economic and environmental benefits across the continent.

In their speeches, Kenya’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ambassador Ali Mohamed, and the Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr Mrs Omotenioye Majekodunmi, also underscored the need for stronger collaboration, practical partnerships and investment-driven approaches to advancing Africa’s climate and green industrialisation agenda.

They stressed that climate action is more likely to succeed when it is translated into viable economic propositions that create jobs, attract investment, strengthen local value chains and deliver tangible benefits to communities, businesses and national economies.