KEY POINTS
- NNPC targets 12 Bcf/d gas output by 2030.
- Gas reserves target rises above 600 Tcf.
- Train 7 is expected to be completed in 2027.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd., has unveiled plans to significantly expand Nigeria’s gas reserves and production as part of efforts to establish the country as a major global gas supply hub.
The company is targeting an increase in Nigeria’s proven gas reserves from more than 215 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) to over 600 Tcf. It also plans to raise national gas production to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
NNPC Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed the targets at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ogunleye said the company would rely on a commercial approach to developing and monetising the country’s gas resources, with the Gas Master Plan (GMP) serving as a framework for closing the gap between Nigeria’s existing reserves and its potential.
He said the objective was to transform Nigeria’s large but underdeveloped gas resource base into increased domestic energy supply, industrial activity and export revenue.
Gas Master Plan to drive investment
According to Ogunleye, the strategy is designed to move Nigeria beyond simply holding large gas reserves to developing the infrastructure and investment needed to bring more of those resources into production.
The Gas Master Plan will work alongside the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Decade of Gas Framework to improve coordination across the gas value chain.
NNPC said the approach would focus on attracting investment, improving gas supply, strengthening infrastructure and creating commercially viable opportunities for gas development and monetisation.
Ogunleye described gas development in Nigeria as a commercial opportunity, stressing that the country needs to turn its substantial resources into productive assets capable of supporting both economic growth and energy security.
NNPC said Nigeria’s domestic gas ambitions would not come at the expense of its LNG export plans.
Instead, the company intends to pursue a dual-track strategy in which LNG exports provide foreign exchange earnings while greater domestic gas utilisation supports industries, electricity generation, employment and broader economic activity.
The strategy comes at a time when international gas markets are being reshaped by geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and growing demand for reliable LNG supplies.
Ogunleye said these changes could create opportunities for Nigeria to strengthen its position in the international gas market, provided the country can increase production and maintain reliable supply.
