Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar are in discussions to establish a shared shipping network that will expand Africa–Asia Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) connectivity.
The plan was one of the highlights of separate bilateral meetings at the weekend involving Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, UAE’s Minister of Energy, Hydrocarbons, Infrastructure and Power, Suhail Al Mazrouei, and Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President/CEO of Qatar Energy, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi.
The talks focused on strengthening energy partnerships, with particular emphasis on gas development and growth across the three nations.
Strengthening Global Energy Cooperation
At the Dubai meetings, ministers acknowledged the long-standing partnership between Nigeria and the UAE through platforms such as OPEC and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). They agreed that aligned priorities on market stability, investment certainty, and just energy transitions should guide future cooperation.
The discussions also explored:
- Joint cooperation in LNG trading and cargo swaps
- Midstream development opportunities, including pipelines
- Expansion of LPG/CNG infrastructure
- Creation of new processing hubs
The proposed LNG shipping collaboration is expected to enhance supply chain efficiency, boost Africa–Asia gas trade, and create new investment pathways in the global energy market.
