• Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea to advance Gulf of Guinea gas pipeline project

The Federal Government has renewed its call for innovation and regional collaboration to avert the risk of stranded gas in Nigeria as investors raise growing concerns over the continent’s inadequate gas pipeline infrastructure.

Speaking at the Africa Gas Innovation Summit (AGIS) 2025 in Abuja, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described gas as “a catalyst for prosperity,” stressing the urgency of coordinated action to unlock Africa’s gas potential.

Ekpo, who was represented by his Technical Adviser on Downstream, Abel Igeghe, said a fragmented approach would limit the scale and impact of current efforts.

“A resilient gas economy in Africa must be built on regional strategies. We need harmonised regulatory frameworks, shared infrastructure, and common financing platforms. Projects such as the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, the Trans-Saharan and West African Gas ventures are not just pipelines; they are economic lifelines,” Ekpo said.

He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the “Decade of Gas” initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing progress on infrastructure rollout, expanded LPG penetration, and domestic supply reforms. But he warned that without cross-border cooperation and investor-friendly policies, the continent risks underutilising its resources.

The summit, organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, attracted stakeholders from across Africa’s energy value chain.

ALSO, in a strategic move to deepen regional energy integration, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea have signed a joint communiqué to advance the implementation of the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline (GOGGP) Project Treaty, a landmark initiative expected to boost energy security, drive industrial growth, and enhance economic cooperation in West and Central Africa.

The agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development, H.E. Antonio Oburu Ondo, at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

At the heart of the communiqué is the establishment of a Joint Steering Committee and a Sub-Committee on Gas Supply to oversee the next phases of the GOGGP’s development with members of the committee drawn from Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development, SONAGAS, and the project developers, Gas Invest Limited/Amitee Global, with the mandate to source gas supply, incorporation of holding and pipeline companies for the project.

Both ministers reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the full implementation of the GOGGP Treaty, a significant regional project for economic growth, energy security, and industrial development.