Decade of Gas is tracking 96 gas projects across production, infrastructure and utilisation, with a combined estimated investment requirement of about $80 billion, as Nigeria seeks to expand gas supply and connect more of its resources to domestic and export markets.

‎The projects comprise 20 upstream gas developments with a combined potential of 4.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d), 16 critical infrastructure projects and 60 gas utilisation projects spanning compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), power generation, fertiliser, methanol and floating LNG developments.

‎Speaking on behalf of the Coordinating Director, Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, Team Lead, Demand and Infrastructure, Taofeek Balogun, disclosed this at the fourth Gas Investment Forum in Lagos.
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According to Balogun, the 20 upstream projects being tracked as the first wave would require an estimated $30 billion investment and could take gas production to 12.6 bcf/d by 2030.
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He, however, said the first wave would not be sufficient to meet emerging demand, noting that the Secretariat was already working with the relevant commission and operators to unlock a potential second wave of upstream projects.

‎Director and Chief Commercial Officer, Chevron Nigeria and Mid-Africa, Chris Jablonski, emphasised the need to move projects from plans to execution, saying Nigeria’s gas resources were already known to investors, but the country’s ability to attract capital would depend on certainty around the investment environment.

‎Similarly, the Director, Gas and New Energy, Seplat Energy, Okechukwu Mba, said the challenge was to make the country’s gas resources available to consumers.

He said investment was required across the gas value chain to take gas from the subsurface to homes, businesses and factories.
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Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Gas, Ralph Gbobo, Chidebere Okocha, also called for stronger coordination between gas producers, infrastructure companies, investors, regulators and customers.
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‎Gbobo said gas infrastructure needed to be developed with demand in mind, noting that supply without bankable demand would not create sustainable investment, while demand without reliable infrastructure would also constrain growth.
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‎Earlier, the President, Nigerian Gas Association, Yetunde Taiwo, said the value of Nigeria’s gas resources should be measured by the infrastructure, projects, businesses and jobs created from them rather than the size of the reserves alone.
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The President, International Gas Union, Andrea Stegher, also stressed the importance of investment certainty, saying investors needed predictable frameworks, stable policies, reliable commercial structures and transparent regulation.
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