By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has unveiled plans to transform Nigeria into a global gas hub by expanding gas production, developing new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and maximising the country’s vast gas reserves.
The company’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ogunleye, who spoke on a panel themed, “The New LNG Order: Leadership Strategies for Energy Security and Growth,” said Nigeria would leverage its more than 215 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas reserves to drive domestic industrialisation while expanding its presence in international markets.
He said the company was implementing a Gas Master Plan (GMP) designed to bridge the gap between Nigeria’s current reserves and its potential, with the ambition of increasing the country’s gas reserves to more than 600tcf.
“Gas development and monetisation from Nigeria’s standpoint is a purely commercial play. NNPC Ltd. is implementing a Gas Master Plan engineered as a gap-to-potential tool to move Nigeria from a 215tcf reserves position to above 600tcf,” he said.
According to him, the plan is anchored on the Petroleum Industry Act, the Decade of Gas Framework and the Gas Master Plan, with a near-term target of increasing national gas production to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
Ogunleye said Nigeria was already a reliable supplier to the global gas market, pointing to the country’s LNG expansion programme.
He noted that Trains 1-6 of the Nigeria LNG facility have a combined production capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum and have exported more than 6,000 LNG cargoes since 1999.
He added that Train 7, currently under development, is expected to be completed in 2027, further strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global LNG market.
The NNPC executive also highlighted Nigeria’s strategic geographical position, noting that the country is well positioned to serve both Atlantic Basin and Asian markets.
He said Nigeria’s substantial gas resources, coupled with its renewed focus on gas development, provided a strong foundation for attracting investment into the sector.
Ogunleye stressed that increasing gas exports would not undermine domestic utilisation, saying Nigeria was pursuing a dual pathway that would enable the country to earn foreign exchange from exports while using gas to strengthen domestic industries.
He said increased domestic gas utilisation would create jobs, improve energy security and contribute to the country’s economic development.
On investment, Ogunleye said Nigeria had de-risked new LNG projects through a strengthened legal and regulatory framework, supported by attractive fiscal incentives.
“With continued efforts towards stable security, competitive gas pricing and assured gas supply, there is no better time for investors and financiers to confidently participate in the development of Nigeria’s LNG projects,” he said.
GASTECH, now in its 54th edition, is a major global exhibition and conference focused on natural gas, LNG, hydrogen and low-carbon solutions.
The 2026 edition in Bangkok brings together about 50,000 participants from more than 150 countries, including energy experts, chief executives, policymakers, investors and technology leaders, to deliberate on energy security, LNG supply, infrastructure investment and decarbonisation.
