NLNG’s Train 7 expansion project, seen as a symbol of continued leadership will boost NLNG’s capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA.
At the 2025 Africa Energy Week in South Africa, Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) made a compelling call for African nations to redefine their position in the global energy market; urging them to take ownership as suppliers of raw materials to active shapers of the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The Role of African LNG in a Dynamic Export Market,” NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu, said Africa must take ownership of its energy destiny. He noted that the continent’s vast natural gas resources — exceeding 850 trillion cubic feet, about six percent of global reserves — give it both the leverage and the responsibility to lead a new era of energy security, affordability, and sustainability.
“Africa is not a bystander in this conversation,” Osobu asserted. “We are a rising pillar of global supply, and Nigeria has a duty to lead.”
Osobu underscored Nigeria’s pioneering position as Africa’s foremost LNG producer, highlighting NLNG’s Train 7 expansion project as a symbol of continued leadership. The project, which will boost NLNG’s capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA, reflects the company’s strategic commitment to both export growth and domestic energy access.
“Our investment in expansion shows that Nigeria is driving LNG growth not only for exports but also for domestic industries and energy access,” he said. “We must prove that Africa can deliver LNG that is secure, competitive, and sustainable.”
According to Osobu, emerging LNG frontiers across the continent could collectively contribute over 45 MTPA of new supply, potentially pushing Africa’s total output from 70 MTPA today to about 120 MTPA by 2035. This growth, he added, would consolidate Africa’s position as a central hub in the global LNG ecosystem.
However, he cautioned that realizing this ambition requires addressing Africa’s biggest challenges — competitiveness, financing, and domestic responsibility. Despite the continent’s strategic advantage of shorter shipping routes to Europe and Asia, global competition remains fierce, with the United States and Qatar aggressively expanding LNG capacities and global financiers increasingly prioritizing low-carbon and decarbonized projects.
Osobu emphasized that Africa’s LNG expansion must strike a careful balance: reliably supplying the world, driving industrialization across the continent, and aligning with the global decarbonisation agenda.
Organized by the African Energy Chamber, Africa Energy Week 2025 convened policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to chart a resilient and inclusive energy future for the continent — one where Africa is not just part of the market, but a decisive force shaping it.
