Nigerian government has called for decisive and unified action to unlock the country’s vast natural gas reserves.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, disclosed this while delivering a keynote address at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference hosted by Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) on Tuesday in Houston, Texas, U.S.

Ekpo reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria into a globally competitive, gas-powered economy.

The theme of the session is: “Harnessing Nigeria’s Gas Potential for Domestic Utilisation and Global Export Market”.

“Nigeria holds over 210 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves; Africa’s largest and among the top ten globally.

“This resource is a divine gift, but it comes with a responsibility—to use it for sustainable development, job creation, industrialisation, and global energy security,”Ekpo said.

He said that “potential alone does not generate growth, action does.

The minister commended PETAN for showcasing Nigeria’s innovation on the world stage and emphasised that the country’s Decade of Gas initiative, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, is central to national energy transformation.

According to him, government is investing heavily in gas infrastructurepipelines, processing plants, and distribution systems, to make gas widely accessible for electricity, manufacturing, transport, and home use.

He said that barriers to industrial gas use were also being dismantled, with incentives created for sectors such as fertiliser production and modular gas hubs.

He also spotlighted innovative solutions like Floating LNG (FLNG), and new regional agreements such as the Nigeria–Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline, which aim to commercialise stranded gas and boost exports.

Ekpo stressed that innovation and technology, including digital oilfield solutions, low-carbon gas processing, and emissions monitoring, will be key drivers in this transformation.

He called for greater investment in R&D and closer collaboration between academia, startups, and the private sector.

Addressing the financing challenge, the minister noted that Nigeria must make its gas projects bankable and ESG-compliant to attract global investment amid shifting energy transition priorities.

He commended the efforts of Nigeria’s regulatory agencies, the NMDPRA and NUPRC, for fostering investor confidence through transparency and efficiency.

Ekpo emphasised the need for indigenous companies to take the lead in this new energy era.

“The future of gas in Nigeria is not just for multinational corporations, it belongs to every capable Nigerian entrepreneur ready to act.”

“Nigeria’s gas potential is vast, but it is only through decisive, collective action that we can transform that potential into prosperity—both for our people at home and for our position on the global stage,”he added. (NAN)