Nigeria’s new global gas roles to spur investment, jobs — Minister

Nigeria’s emergence in two top leadership positions in the global gas industry will unlock fresh investment, create jobs, and accelerate the nation’s gas-driven economic agenda, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said on Thursday.

Speaking to journalists after briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, Ekpo said the appointments — Nigeria’s Dr. Philip Mshelbila as the next Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and his own selection as President of the GECF Ministerial Council for 2026 — mark “a big win for Nigeria” and will translate to greater investor confidence and project inflows.

“With us having the Secretary-General, other gas-exporting countries will be interacting with him, and our regulations will become more visible globally. This will attract more projects into the country, create job opportunities, and help us leverage our 210 trillion cubic feet of gas to drive the economy. It is a big deal for our country,” the Minister said.

Ekpo, who attended the GECF election in Doha on October 23, said Nigeria’s dual victory was made possible by President Tinubu’s prioritisation of natural gas as a key national asset.

He added that the development will help boost gas exploration and supply, including for vehicles converted to run on gas, noting: “There is going to be growth in the upstream. It is going to be a game-changer with the position we are attaining.”

According to him, President Tinubu was pleased with the outcome and urged the Nigerian delegation to be “good ambassadors” of the country.

Dr. Mshelbila, Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and incoming GECF Secretary-General, said the global significance of the role positions Nigeria at the centre of a bloc that controls around 70 percent of the world’s gas reserves and half of global LNG exports.

“This gives us the opportunity to coordinate and lead gas-exporting countries. Nigeria has always been seen as gas-rich but has not fully exploited its resources. On the platform of the Decade of Gas, we can now pursue upstream, midstream, and downstream projects that unlock these opportunities, much like Qatar and the United States have done”, Mshelbila said.

The incoming GECF chief pledged to leverage the forum’s influence to support Nigeria’s gas growth strategy and deepen international cooperation in the sector.