The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) is targeting 12 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in national gas production by 2030, as it steps up efforts to unlock Nigeria’s large gas reserves and expand its position in the global energy market.
Olalekan Ogunleye, NNPC Ltd.’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Gas Technology & Exhibition Conference (GASTECH) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking on a panel titled “The New LNG Order: Leadership Strategies for Energy Security and Growth”, Ogunleye said Nigeria would leverage its more than 215 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas reserves to support domestic industrialisation while expanding its export market.
He said the company is targeting national gas production of 10 Bcf/d by 2027, before increasing output to 12 Bcf/d by 2030.
“Gas development and monetisation from Nigeria’s standpoint is a purely commercial play,” Ogunleye said.
According to Ogunleye, NNPC Ltd.’s gas strategy is anchored on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Decade of Gas Framework and the company’s Gas Master Plan (GMP).
The plan is designed to bridge the gap between Nigeria’s existing reserves and its production potential, with NNPC aiming to move the country from its current reserve position of more than 215 tcf towards over 600 tcf.
The company said increasing gas production would support both domestic consumption and exports.
Ogunleye said the two markets were not mutually exclusive, with LNG exports providing foreign exchange earnings while domestic gas utilisation could support industrial activity, job creation and energy security.
The strategy comes as global energy markets continue to be influenced by geopolitical tensions, conflicts and changing patterns of energy supply and demand.
Nigeria already has an established LNG export industry, with Ogunleye citing the six existing trains as a major component of the country’s gas monetisation strategy.
Trains 1-6 have a combined production capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and have exported more than 6,000 LNG cargoes since 1999, according to NNPC Ltd.
The company also expects Train 7, which is scheduled for completion in 2027, to further strengthen Nigeria’s LNG export capacity.
Nigeria’s location provides access to both Atlantic Basin and Asian gas markets, which NNPC said gives the country a strategic advantage as global LNG trade expands and energy security becomes a greater priority for consuming nations.
Ogunleye said the country had de-risked new LNG developments through a combination of regulatory reforms and fiscal incentives.
However, he identified security, competitive gas pricing and reliable gas supply as critical factors for attracting investors and financiers into the sector.
“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,” he said.
