The Nigerian government has targeted triple increase in its validated natural gas reserves and a substantial rise in production by 2030 as NNPC Ltd. activates its Gas Master Plan (GMP) to position the country as a major global gas hub.
The plan seeks to move Nigeria from its current 215 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) proven gas reserve base toward a potential reserve position of more than 600 Tcf, while increasing national gas production from about 7.4 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) to 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
The strategy is also expected to help attract approximately $60 billion in additional investment into Nigeria’s gas industry through commercial incentives, strategic partnerships and measures designed to reduce investment risks.
The latest targets were reiterated by Olalekan Ogunleye, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, NNPC Ltd., while speaking at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ogunleye said the Gas Master Plan was being deployed as a “gap-to-potential” framework to unlock Nigeria’s extensive gas resource base and translate it into greater domestic economic activity and expanded participation in international gas markets.
“Gas development and monetisation from Nigeria’s standpoint is a purely commercial play. NNPC Ltd. is implementing a Gas Master Plan (GMP) engineered as a gap-to-potential tool to move Nigeria from a 215tcf reserves position to above 600tcf,” he said.
Nigeria sets 12Bcf/d production target
Under the strategy, Nigeria is targeting 10 Bcf/d of gas production by 2027, rising to 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
The production expansion forms part of a broader effort to strengthen coordination across the gas sector, with implementation anchored on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Decade of Gas Framework and the Gas Master Plan.
The targets come as global gas markets face continuing uncertainty arising from geopolitical tensions, disruptions to established supply routes and the search by consuming countries for more secure sources of energy.
For Nigeria, the shifting global market presents an opportunity to turn its substantial gas reserves into a stronger source of domestic energy supply, industrial growth and export earnings.
Ogunleye said Nigeria was pursuing gas development along two complementary tracks—expanding exports while increasing domestic utilisation.
“Domestic gas utilisation and gas for export are not mutually exclusive,” he said, explaining that export earnings could support foreign exchange generation while greater domestic gas availability could improve energy security, create jobs and support industrialisation.
LNG expansion strengthens Nigeria’s export position
Nigeria already has an established position in the international LNG market, with the country leveraging its location between the Atlantic Basin and Asian markets to serve international customers.
Ogunleye cited the country’s existing LNG infrastructure, including Trains 1-6, with combined production capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), which he said had exported more than 6,000 LNG cargoes since 1999.
The expansion is expected to receive another boost from Train 7, which is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The development of additional LNG capacity is central to Nigeria’s ambition to capture a larger share of growing international demand for gas while retaining sufficient supply for domestic economic development.
Ogunleye said Nigeria’s geographical position, sizeable gas resource base and policy emphasis on gas development gave the country a strategic advantage as global energy markets continued to evolve.
$60bn investment target puts financing at centre of gas strategy
The scale of Nigeria’s gas ambitions, however, will depend heavily on its ability to attract new capital into exploration, production, processing, transportation and LNG infrastructure.
Ogunleye had previously outlined the $60 billion additional investment target at CERAWeek in Houston in March 2026, alongside the ambition to raise validated gas reserves toward 600 Tcf and increase production to 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
At GASTECH, he reiterated the importance of commercial incentives, strategic partnerships and a predictable investment environment in unlocking the required capital.
He said Nigeria had taken steps to de-risk new LNG projects through its legal and regulatory framework, supported by fiscal incentives intended to make gas investments more competitive.
The NNPC executive said continued progress on security, competitive gas pricing and reliable gas supply would be critical to attracting investors and financiers into new LNG developments.
“With continued efforts towards stable security, competitive gas pricing and assured gas supply, there is no better time for investors and financiers to confidently participate in the development of Nigeria’s LNG projects,” Ogunleye said.
For Nigeria, the immediate challenge is therefore not simply the size of its gas reserves, but how quickly those resources can be converted into reliable production, investment, industrial output and export capacity.
If the targets are achieved, the trajectory from 215 Tcf toward 600 Tcf in validated reserves, 7.4 Bcf/d toward 12 Bcf/d production and $60 billion in new investment would mark a significant expansion of the country’s role in both domestic and international gas markets.
