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| Nigeria’s gas expansion plans will take center stage as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, joins African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 as a speaker |
| CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 13, 2025/ -- Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, is confirmed to speak at the 2025 edition of African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies in Cape Town. As Nigeria scales up its natural gas infrastructure and strengthens its position as a leading destination for energy investment, Minister Ekpo’s participation will highlight the country’s expanding gas market, growing project pipeline and drive to attract a greater share of global energy capital. Nigeria’s gas sector is set to attract significant foreign investment, with the U.S., UAE and key financial institutions expressing strong interest in the $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline. This month, the UAE agreed to contribute funding to the project, while the U.S. expressed interest in the pipeline during a meeting with Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance in April. The initiative, which aims to transport Nigerian gas to Europe through Morocco, is expected to boost regional energy security and economic growth. Nigeria’s momentum extends further with the $550 million Final Investment Decision made by TotalEnergies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in June 2024 for the Ubeta Gas Project. Targeting 350 million cubic feet of gas and 10,000 barrels of associated liquids per day by 2027, the project incorporates clean energy solutions such as a 5 MW solar plant and electrified drilling rig. Additionally, NNPC has signed a project development agreement with Golar LNG to deploy a floating LNG facility offshore the Niger Delta. The plant will monetize 400–500 million cubic feet of gas per day and produce LNG, LPG and condensates, with first gas expected in 2027. These advancements are underpinned by Nigeria’s broader institutional and financial reforms. Notably, Abuja has been selected to host the newly established Africa Energy Bank (AEB) – a supranational institution formed by the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization and the African Export-Import Bank. With an initial capital base of $5 billion, the AEB is slated to launch in 2025 and will fund oil, gas, renewables, hydrogen and infrastructure projects across Africa. Nigeria’s successful bid to host the bank further cements its leadership in the continental energy space. With proven reserves of more than 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 37 billion barrels of crude oil, Nigeria is pursuing an ambitious strategy to expand energy access, reduce emissions and foster industrial growth. Additional milestones include the commissioning of the Tetracore CNG facility in June 2024 and ongoing progress on the Nigeria LNG Train 7 expansion project, which is set to boost the country’s LNG capacity by 35% while adding roughly 8 million tons per annum to the country’s production capabilities. Backed by strong policy support and rising investor interest, Nigeria is well-positioned to capitalize on AEW 2025 as a launchpad for its next phase of energy-driven development. “The participation of Minister Ekperikpe Ekpo at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 reinforces Nigeria’s role as a driving force in Africa’s gas revolution. As the country rolls out critical infrastructure and attracts multi-billion-dollar investments, AEW will serve as the ideal platform to showcase Nigeria’s investor-friendly reforms and its roadmap for gas monetization,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. |
