The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has urged governments, private sector players, financiers, and international partners to collaborate in mobilizing resources, deploying technologies, and developing innovative financing models to unlock Africa’s vast gas resources.
The Minister said this would accelerate sustainable development while advancing the continent’s energy transition goals.
Ekpo stated this in an address at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) workshop titled “Natural Gas for Africa’s Sustainable Development” on the sidelines of Africa Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa.
H said Africa is rich in natural resources, including large natural gas reserves, yet over 600 million Africans lack electricity and nearly one billion lack access to clean cooking solutions, constituting a development emergency that constrains education, healthcare, and industrialization.
According to Ekpo, if Africa is to achieve the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, it must urgently deploy natural gas as a catalyst for inclusive growth and prosperity.
He highlighted the unique value of natural gas for Africa’s sustainable development, citing its potential to expand energy access by powering homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses; drive industrialization through fertilizer, petrochemicals, cement, and steel production; enable clean cooking, reducing reliance on biomass and improving public health outcomes; and support the energy transition by complementing renewables, providing baseload stability, and reducing emissions compared to coal and oil.
For Africa, Ekpo noted that natural gas is not simply a transition fuel but both a bridge and a destination fuel, essential to building resilient economies and societies.
He said in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has placed gas at the center of the economic transformation agenda through the Decade of Gas initiative, aiming to leverage over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves to deliver prosperity for Nigerians, strengthen regional energy security, and contribute to global stability.
Ekpo highlighted steps taken to harness Nigeria’s gas resources for sustainable development to include expanding gas-to-power projects, promoting clean cooking through the LPG penetration programme targeting five million homes by 2030, and rolling out Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel.
He noted that strategic infrastructure projects, including the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) and OB3 pipelines, and the Nigeria LNG Train 7 project, are progressing to open up domestic and regional markets and position Nigeria as a reliable global supplier of LNG.
Ekpo further stated that the country is promoting regional integration through projects like the West African Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, and exploring new opportunities with Libya. He said through the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and the Presidential Executive Orders on Oil and Gas Reforms, Nigeria has created transparent, investor-friendly frameworks to attract capital into the gas sector.
”Africa’s development must be powered by Africa’s resources, driven by Africa’s priorities, and supported through Africa-led partnerships,” Ekpo said.
”Natural gas is central to this vision; it is the fuel that can light homes, power industries, secure livelihoods, and safeguard our future. Nigeria stands ready to share experiences, deepen cooperation, and work with all of you towards an energy-secure, industrialized, and prosperous Africa.”
On The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, which is estimated to cost $25bn, would have funding backing from the United Arab Emirates which will join a pool of existing major institutions, including the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC Fund.
A project company currently being formed by countries driving the project will be responsible for mobilising these funds, with a final investment decision expected by the end of 2025.
The establishment of a dedicated project company and the expansion of its international financial backing for the Pipeline project, is advancing rapidly.
The pipeline, set to stretch nearly 6,000 km across West Africa, is designed to enhance regional energy access and provide a secure link for Nigerian gas to reach Europe.
According to report, the Director-General of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Amina Benkhadra, confirmed that the formation of the project company is underway, a crucial step for structuring the massive financing and overseeing implementation.
Technical studies completed in 2025 were said to have confirmed the pipeline’s route.
“It is engineered to transport between 15 and 30 billion cubic metres of gas per year, serving 13 West African coastal states and reaching approximately 400 million people. Internal domestic connections will also link landlocked countries like Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to the main line, which will eventually connect to the existing Maghreb-Europe Pipeline, granting Nigerian gas access to the European market.
“Project governance will be layered, featuring a parent company that oversees regional entities managing specific pipeline segments. This framework has been approved by the Economic Community of West African States,” the statement explained.
In July, Togo was officially brought in as a public partner through an additional protocol signed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, ONHYM, and Togo’s gas company, it was said.
On the financing front, Energy Minister Leïla Benali indicated that the United Arab Emirates will join a pool of existing major institutions, including the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC Fund.
“The project company currently being formed will be responsible for mobilising these funds, with a final investment decision expected by the end of 2025,” the statement added.
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Source : orientalnewsng.com
