Nigeria is seeking to double or triple its natural gas production to meet up to 70 per cent of Africa’s gas demand, a target that could strengthen the country’s position as the continent’s leading energy supplier. However, achieving this ambition will require substantial investment, reliable infrastructure and a commercially viable domestic gas market.
The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 2026 Gastech conference in Bangkok, Thailand. She said Nigeria’s estimated 215 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas reserves remained largely underutilised, despite the country’s pressing energy needs and Africa’s growing demand for reliable power.
Eyesan said Nigeria currently produced approximately eight billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas daily, describing the output as a fraction of its enormous resource base.
“Nigeria is sitting today on 215 TCF of gas. Our current gas production is about 8 BCF,” she said, adding that significantly increasing production could enable the country to meet at least 70 per cent of Africa’s gas demand.
The proposed expansion presents Nigeria with an opportunity to generate foreign exchange, improve domestic electricity supply and extend its energy influence across the continent. Yet, the target also raises questions about whether the country has the infrastructure, investment and policy stability required to translate its reserves into actual production.
Eyesan identified investment, gas pricing and infrastructure as key challenges to unlocking Nigeria’s gas potential. She said the Federal Government had introduced incentives to attract investors, while the NUPRC continued to offer petroleum assets through licensing rounds.
According to her, the Commission’s 2026 licensing round is scheduled to commence next month. She added that the most recent licensing round attracted significant investor interest, with 37 of the 50 assets offered taken up.
The NUPRC chief also said efforts were underway to address challenges surrounding domestic gas pricing and improve the commercial viability of the sector for both producers and consumers.
She noted that increased government investment in gas infrastructure was beginning to unlock opportunities across Nigeria, adding that extending the network to other West African countries could help reduce energy poverty and support a shift away from biomass and other high-polluting fuels.
“Gas definitely is a transition, not just for Nigeria, but for Africa, for the continent at large,” Eyesan said.
However, Nigeria’s gas ambition must be matched by concrete action. The country’s history of underinvestment, inadequate processing facilities, pipeline constraints and inconsistent policy implementation has repeatedly prevented it from fully exploiting its vast gas reserves. Without addressing these structural weaknesses, the proposed production increase could remain another ambitious projection rather than a measurable transformation.
Eyesan also rejected the idea of a uniform pathway to net-zero emissions for African countries, arguing that differences in natural resources, economic conditions and development priorities made a single approach impractical.
“It cannot be one size fits all,” she said, insisting that resource-rich countries such as Nigeria should be allowed to leverage their competitive advantages while collaborating with nations possessing other resources and technologies.
Her position reflects a broader debate over Africa’s energy transition. While reducing emissions remains essential, millions of Africans still lack dependable access to electricity, and many economies require affordable energy to industrialise. A transition strategy that ignores these realities risks deepening energy poverty rather than solving it.
Nevertheless, greater reliance on natural gas must not become an excuse to delay investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleaner technologies. Nigeria’s challenge is to use gas to support development while ensuring that its energy strategy remains compatible with long-term climate objectives.
Eyesan said hydrocarbons would remain relevant for years to come, noting that regulatory certainty and attractive fiscal terms were essential to attracting fresh capital into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
She said the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, enacted in 2021, had helped reshape the regulatory environment, with the NUPRC improving its permitting systems and introducing clearer service-level commitments.
As Nigeria seeks to position itself as a major supplier of gas to Africa, the success of its strategy will ultimately depend not on the size of its reserves but on its ability to produce, process and deliver gas efficiently. Turning the 70 per cent target into reality will require sustained investment, credible regulation and a clear commitment to meeting both domestic needs and regional demand.
