‘Natural Gas To Fuel High-speed Rail Network’

Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has underscored the transformative potential of Nigeria’s vast gas reserves in powering the nation’s railway sector, particularly the 4,000 km, 350 km/h high-speed rail network poised to revolutionise connectivity and drive industrial growth across Nigeria and Africa.

He stated this on Tuesday in an address at the International Railway Conference 2025, held in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with De-Sadel Nigeria Limited. He said the railway project will open new frontiers for trade, investment, and industrial growth in the country.

Ekpo said, “For decades, our nation relied on crude oil as the primary driver of our economy, while gas was underutilised. Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this narrative is changing. The ‘Decade of Gas Initiative’ has repositioned gas as the centrepiece of our national energy strategy, transforming it from a by-product of oil to the foundation of Nigeria’s economic and industrial future.”

According to the minister, with proven gas reserves of 210 trillion cubic feet and an estimated upside of 600 trillion cubic feet, Nigeria is poised to leverage gas as a clean, affordable energy source to fuel capital-intensive railway infrastructure. He said railway infrastructure is capital-intensive and requires sustainable, affordable, and clean energy sources to operate efficiently, and that Nigeria’s gas resources provide a strategic solution.

Ekpo said expanding gas-to-power projects ensures reliable electricity for railway stations, industrial hubs, and urban centres connected by the rail network. He said natural gas can be processed into cleaner transport fuels, such as Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) and LNG for transport, enabling modern rail systems to reduce their carbon footprint while ensuring cost efficiency.

“The high-speed rail will unlock new economic corridors where gas-based industries, such as fertiliser plants, petrochemicals, methanol production, and compressed natural gas (CNG) hubs, can flourish, transforming rail-connected cities into vibrant industrial growth centres,” said Ekpo. “With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), gas-powered industries connected by high-speed rail will enhance Nigeria’s role as the engine of West and Central Africa’s industrial and energy economy,” he added.

Ekpo concluded that these efforts are aligned with President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, which seeks to industrialise Nigeria, create jobs, and lift millions out of poverty through sustainable energy and infrastructure development.