Success Nwogu 
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has said gas infrastructure remains the backbone of Nigeria’s energy security and industrialisation agenda.
Speaking during a webinar themed “Catalysing Investment for Nigeria’s Upstream Gas Sector: Opportunities, Challenges, and Global Trends” to mark his second year in office, Ekpo highlighted key achievements of the Decade of Gas Initiative, including the operationalisation of the Decade of Gas Secretariat as a platform for collaboration, monitoring, and delivery of Nigeria’s gas development goals.
He stressed the need to overcome financing constraints, accelerate infrastructure delivery, deepen private sector participation, and align with global shifts in technology and climate policy. “Nigeria has the reserves, the people, and the political will. What is now required is sustained investment and strategic partnerships to unlock the next phase of growth,” he said.
Ekpo listed critical projects being implemented, including the OB3 Gas Pipeline, now at its final River Niger crossing stage, and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, which he described as a game-changer for domestic utilisation, industrial growth, and regional energy security. He also noted efforts to expand access to LPG and CNG through gas processing plants, virtual pipeline systems, and distribution networks.
Regionally, the minister cited progress on the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) spanning over 5,000 km, the Nigeria–Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline, and the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), describing them as strategic projects for regional integration, monetisation of stranded assets, and access to European markets.
Also speaking, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said Nigeria still faced a significant infrastructure gap despite improved security. He warned that sustaining security was “like running on a treadmill” and stressed the need to codify recent gains to ensure an enabling environment for investment.
Ojulari noted that while Nigeria’s gas reserves were vast, most were discovered incidentally during oil exploration. He emphasised that reserves alone did not translate to prosperity or industrialisation, adding that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had improved the investment climate but more needed to be done.
“The opportunities are critical, the reserve space is huge, and the demand for gas continues to grow. The key question is how to attract and sustain the financing needed to unlock these opportunities,” he said.
