The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has unveiled an ambitious strategy to transform Nigeria into a global gas hub, targeting an increase in the country’s gas reserves from over 215 trillion cubic feet (tcf) to more than 600tcf.
NNPC Ltd.’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking on a panel themed “The New LNG Order: Leadership Strategies for Energy Security and Growth,” Ogunleye said Nigeria was positioning its vast gas resources to drive domestic industrialisation, strengthen energy security and expand its presence in the global LNG market.
He said the company’s Gas Master Plan (GMP) was designed as a “gap-to-potential tool” to unlock Nigeria’s enormous gas resources and move the country from its current reserves position to above 600tcf.
“Gas development and monetisation from Nigeria’s standpoint is a purely commercial play. NNPC Ltd. is implementing a Gas Master Plan (GMP) engineered as a gap-to-potential tool to move Nigeria from a 215tcf reserves position to above 600tcf,” Ogunleye stated.
He said NNPC Ltd. was also working to raise national gas production to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030, with the strategy anchored on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Decade of Gas Framework and the Gas Master Plan.
According to him, Nigeria already occupies an important position in the global gas market, with Nigeria LNG’s Trains 1-6 producing 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and having exported more than 6,000 LNG cargoes since 1999.
Ogunleye added that Train 7, which is expected to be completed in 2027, would further expand Nigeria’s LNG capacity and strengthen its position as a major global supplier.
He noted that Nigeria’s geographical location gives it an advantage in serving both the Atlantic Basin and Asian markets, while its substantial gas resources provide a strong foundation for further expansion.
The NNPC executive stressed that domestic gas utilisation and exports were not mutually exclusive, explaining that Nigeria was pursuing a dual-track strategy that would use exports to generate foreign exchange while expanding domestic gas utilisation to create jobs, improve energy security and support economic growth.
He further said the country had de-risked new LNG investments through an improved legal and regulatory framework backed 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,” Ogunleye said.
GASTECH, now in its 54th edition, is a major global conference and exhibition dedicated to natural gas, LNG, hydrogen and low-carbon solutions. The 2026 edition in Bangkok is attracting about 50,000 participants from more than 150 countries, including energy experts, policymakers, investors, chief executives and technology leaders.
