Nigeria’s ambition to become Africa’s leading gas hub, with a projected $30.5 billion in fresh pipeline investment, may remain elusive unless the continent strengthens security cooperation, domestic infrastructure, and financing.

Along with domestic infrastructure, Nigeria is in talks to advance $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, $2.5 billion Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline and UTM Offshore’s $3 billion Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) project, which are expected to expand Nigeria’s access to European and regional gas markets.

The renewed push comes as the Federal Government also accelerates domestic gas infrastructure under its Decade of Gas initiative, including the completion of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline and the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline, which are expected to boost electricity generation, stimulate gas-based industries and deepen domestic gas utilisation.

Speaking at the Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja, Chairman of Oilserv Group, Emeka Okwuosa, disclosed that the AKK pipeline has reached mechanical completion.

“We have achieved mechanical completion of the pipeline. The entire 303-kilometre stretch from Ajaokuta to Kaduna is ready for gas transportation,” said Okwuosa, who was represented by the company’s Group Business Development and Commercial Manager, Cheta Okwuosa.

According to him, only the gas treatment facilities at Ajaokuta and Abuja, alongside a few block valve stations, remain under construction.

“The pipeline itself is intact and ready. Once the gas treatment facilities are completed, the project will be fully operational,” he added, expressing confidence that the remaining facilities would be completed between the end of this year and the first quarter of next year.

While the development represents a significant milestone for Nigeria’s domestic gas network, Okwuosa argued that the country would still require additional infrastructure to maximise both local consumption and regional exports.

He identified the proposed South-North Gas Pipeline, designed to transport gas from the eastern Niger Delta through the OB3 network into the AKK pipeline, as the missing link.

“Most of Nigeria’s gas reserves are located in the eastern Niger Delta. Until that South-North pipeline is built, the AKK pipeline will not receive sufficient gas volumes to operate at its full capacity,” he said.

According to him, completing the connection would not only improve domestic gas supply but also strengthen the commercial viability of regional export projects, particularly the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline.

The comments underscore a broader challenge confronting Nigeria’s gas strategy. Although the country possesses more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, inadequate evacuation infrastructure has continued to limit commercial utilisation, forcing significant volumes to remain stranded.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, noted that Nigeria had made significant progress on both the Nigeria-Morocco and Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea gas pipelines, describing them as transformative regional infrastructure.

“These projects represent strategic arteries of shared African prosperity, resilience and global relevance,” Ekpo said.

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, stretching between 5,600 and 6,900 kilometres along the West African coastline, is expected to connect Nigerian gas to Morocco before linking with existing European gas networks. Nigerian and Moroccan authorities are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement later this year after completing preliminary technical studies.

However, beyond financing and engineering complexities, industry operators warned that security remains the greatest long-term threat to cross-border pipeline infrastructure, particularly amid growing insecurity across parts of West Africa and the Sahel.
Okwuosa insisted that protecting strategic energy infrastructure cannot rest solely on private contractors. .

“No private company can independently guarantee the security of strategic national infrastructure. The primary responsibility rests with the country’s security agencies,” he said.
He advocated stronger collaboration between government security agencies and host communities, arguing that local vigilante groups possess critical knowledge of the terrain that could help prevent vandalism and sabotage.

“As contractors, we engage local communities, employ qualified residents where possible, implement corporate social responsibility projects and build trust.”

That creates an environment where communities and security agencies work together to protect the infrastructure,” he said.

According to him, the same collaborative security framework would be indispensable for future cross-border gas pipelines across West Africa, where infrastructure would traverse multiple jurisdictions with varying security risks.

Beyond security, operators also emphasised the growing role of technology and human capital in safeguarding critical infrastructure and improving operational efficiency.

Okwuosa said Oilserv had progressively deployed semi-automatic and fully automated welding systems on major pipeline projects, while artificial intelligence now supports leak detection, intrusion monitoring and remote asset surveillance.

“Now that we are veering into gas commercialisation, we have deployed leak detection, intrusion detection and other AI operational systems that enable remote monitoring of critical infrastructure,” he said.

Similarly, GIL Group Managing Director, Gbolahan Lawal, urged operators to embrace data-driven innovation while investing in workforce development, arguing that technology adoption would determine future competitiveness.

For Nigeria, the convergence of domestic pipeline expansion, regional export infrastructure and digital monitoring technologies presents an opportunity to strengthen its position in the global gas market, but the country’s ambition to become a continental gas powerhouse will ultimately depend on its ability to balance export opportunities with domestic industrialisation while securing thousands of kilometres of critical energy infrastructure through sustained regional and community-based partnerships.

Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) has called for coordinated reforms, including harmonising multiple taxes and levies and reviewing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), to strengthen Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and enhance its global competitiveness.

Speaking at the 25th NOG Energy Week, Chairman of the IPPG, Adegbite Falade, said that although recent reforms had improved investor confidence, increased crude oil production and attracted significant upstream investments, additional measures were needed to maximise the sector’s contribution to the economy.

Falade urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in critical infrastructure, accelerate gas development and strengthen the entire energy value chain to ensure Nigeria retains greater value from its hydrocarbon resources.

He warned that recent geopolitical disruptions had exposed the vulnerability of countries lacking sufficient production and processing capacity, preventing them from capitalising on emerging opportunities in the global energy market.

“Our ambition must extend beyond producing more barrels. Success should be measured by the industries we build, the jobs we create, the value we retain and the prosperity we deliver for Nigerians,” he said.

The IPPG chairman advocated the harmonisation of taxes and levies across the industry, sustained investment in infrastructure and human capital development, and a comprehensive review of the PIA to reflect evolving industry realities and consolidate recent reform initiatives.

“As we celebrate 25 years of NOG Energy Week, this must be the moment Nigeria moves decisively from extraction to value creation. The future belongs to those who invest early, reform boldly and collaborate effectively,” he added.

Falade reaffirmed the group’s commitment to working with the Federal Government, regulators and other stakeholders to build a resilient, investment-friendly energy sector capable of supporting sustainable economic growth and strengthening Nigeria’s long-term energy security.