The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has revealed that Nigeria requires an estimated $22 billion in fresh investment to complete its planned gas pipeline infrastructure, according to the Gas Master Plan (GMP) 2026, launched in January 2026.
Currently, Nigeria has over 2,500 km of pipelines, with expansion planned through major projects like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) and Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) pipelines, aimed at improving gas distribution nationwide. The plan indicates that gas demand is expected to exceed supply by 2030, highlighting the urgency to incentivize gas development and prioritize high economic impact demand.
Domestic gas delivery performance improved to 70% in 2024, up from 50% five years ago, while the company aims to increase gas commercialization from 60% today to 75% by 2027 and 80% by 2030. NNPC projects supply could reach 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 15 Bcf/d by 2030, as key hubs and offshore clusters come online.
Nigeria, holding the largest proven gas reserves in Africa at 210 trillion cubic feet (TCF), is among the top 10 countries worldwide for gas reserves, giving the nation significant potential to meet domestic demand and become a global energy player.
The GMP 2026 also emphasizes the Decade of Gas initiative, targeting liquidity challenges in the gas-to-power value chain and supporting high-impact projects such as LNG, FLNG, CNG, and LPG. A key strategy involves de-risking gas supply through gas hubs, which will enable facility sharing, operational synergies, and cost efficiency to attract private investment.
The roadmap aligns with federal government mandates for 2027 and 2030, aiming to eliminate routine gas flaring, accelerate deepwater gas development, and convert possible (3P) reserves into bankable proved plus probable (2P) reserves. Strategic infrastructure projects like the Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline (TNGP) and AKK pipeline are central to closing delivery gaps.
Additionally, NNPC is promoting a willing buyer-willing seller approach for domestic gas pricing to ensure market-driven and sustainable commercial transactions, fostering a competitive environment for private sector participation.
