Infrastructure remains a motivating factor in the development of gas, and without gas, progress is a mirage
By Onu Okorie
Speakers at the 2025 Africa Gas Innovation Summit organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE, Nigeria Council, have condemned the high level of Africa’s dependency on the foreign counterparts for gas supply despite the huge deposits in the continent.
The stakeholders spoke at a summit held at the Conference Centre of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF, on Wednesday in Abuja, which featured various keynote addresses as well as lectures on the theme: ‘Building a Resilient African Gas Economy Through Innovation and Collaboration’.
According to the Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization, APPO, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Africa needs to take its future in its hands, saying Africa’s dependency on America, Europe and China is the root cause of underdevelopment, and it is not in the interest of the continent.
Also, in his keynote address, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, who was represented by Mr. Abel Igeh advocated that Africa must define its own course. He described gas as a catalyst for prosperity.
According to him, the gas infrastructure spread across the country of Nigeria is an economic lifeline to enhance development. He encouraged various stakeholders to align with the national gas plan of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
On his part, Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNGL, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, represented by its General Manager, Technical, Joseph Alabo said its company has been giving support to local industries and jot just export activities.
He said infrastructure remains a motivating factor in the development of gas, and without gas, progress is a mirage. NLNG called for greater collaboration between various agencies and countries across Africa.
Stakeholders said there must be serious investment in infrastructure in order to bridge the gap from where services are located to where they are needed.
They said despite the fact that Nigeria has a high deposit of the gas, it is just about 2.8 percent of the global gas reserve, and called on the leadership of Nigeria to do all within its powers to utilize the gas potential it possesses, because gas has come to stay.
In his contribution, Mr. Effiong Ekon of Seplast expressed great delight that many domestic oil companies are already replacing the hitherto known international oil companies and encouraged the Nigerian government to step in with intervention to provide guarantee for the companies.