Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has urged major upstream natural gas producers to increase daily gas production by at least one billion standard cubic feet (bscf) each year between 2025 and 2030.
 
The goal, Ekpo said, is to raise Nigeria’s gas output from its current 7.3 bscf per day to 12 bscf per day by 2030 a crucial target for national energy aspirations and a necessary step to put an end to routine gas flaring.
 
Speaking at an engagement with upstream gas industry stakeholders at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, Ekpo stressed the urgency of accelerating growth in gas production, which he said is key to positioning Nigeria among the world’s top 10 natural gas-consuming nations. He called for aggressive drilling operations across all terrains, land, swamp, and offshore and prioritisation of major gas processing and evacuation infrastructure projects.
   
Ekpo pointed to the wave of recent divestments by international oil companies as a turning point, opening opportunities for Nigeria to ramp up both Associated Gas (AG) and Non-Associated Gas (NAG) production.  
   
He emphasised that success would depend on a clear national strategy that accelerates project delivery, modernises ageing facilities, and integrates innovative technologies into extraction and processing operations .
 
The minister also stressed the importance of international partnerships, technical expertise, and funding innovations including public-private collaborations to overcome bottlenecks that have long delayed critical gas infrastructure like the AKK and OB-3 pipelines.  
   
“These projects are vital to connecting Nigeria’s abundant gas resources to domestic and industrial markets, supporting the country’s ambition to become a regional gas hub,” he said.
   
While applauding the NNPC/TotalEnergies Joint Venture for successfully ending routine gas flaring, Ekpo called on other operators to follow suit, saying flared gas must be converted into economic value to reduce carbon emissions and increase national revenue.
   
Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe assured investors that the regulatory environment is being structured to support these ambitious goals.  He revealed that dedicated gas assets would be offered in upcoming bid rounds to further stimulate sectoral growth.
   
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Usman, represented by Esege Esege, conveyed the President’s keen interest in ensuring the gas sector reaches its full potential, adding that the administration views natural gas as central to Nigeria’s economic development strategy.
     
NNPC Ltd.’s Executive Vice President for Gas, Power, and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, reinforced the commitment of NNPC and its partners across the gas value chain. Ogunleye said that domestic gas demand is currently being met through productive collaboration and noted that work is advancing on making gas more affordable. Providing updates on key projects, he reported that the AKK pipeline is now 78 per cent complete, while the OB-3 pipeline stands at 97 per cent completion.