Precious Anga
Lagos — Nigeria cannot resolve its long-standing electricity challenges without significantly increasing natural gas production and supply, the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Roger Brown, has said.
Speaking at the 25th NOG Energy Week in Abuja, Brown said natural gas remains the country’s most practical and reliable fuel for large-scale electricity generation, warning that Nigeria’s economic transformation depends on adequate gas supply.
Addressing a panel on “Advancing Energy Ambitions for Competitive and Resilient Economies,” Brown stressed that stable electricity is the foundation for industrial growth, education, healthcare and manufacturing.
“Every sector, including education and manufacturing, depends on power, and that power will not materialise without gas. Quite frankly, we’re not going to transform Nigeria with renewable energy alone. You need gas,” he said.
Brown noted that while renewable energy will complement Nigeria’s energy mix, it cannot independently provide the consistent baseload power required to drive industrialisation and sustain economic growth.
He also called for greater policy alignment across Nigeria’s gas value chain, saying harmonised regulations would boost investor confidence and accelerate investments in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.
According to him, reforms introduced through the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the National Gas Master Plan and the Decade of Gas initiative have laid a strong foundation for sector growth, but further regulatory coordination is needed.
“The challenge is to align legislation across all these segments so that every player is operating within a consistent framework. It is still a work in progress, but the direction is encouraging,” Brown said.
He observed that Nigeria’s gas industry has expanded significantly over the past decade, evolving from a relatively underdeveloped segment into a vibrant industry supporting electricity generation, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petrochemicals and fertiliser production.
Brown, however, warned that unlocking the country’s full gas potential would require substantial long-term investment. He said delivering the objectives of the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026, which targets more than $60 billion in oil and gas investments by 2030, depends on access to affordable, long-term financing.
“The scale of investment required is substantial, and capital must be accessible, patient and competitively priced. Bridging this financing gap will be crucial to sustaining momentum in the sector,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government, regulators and private investors to sustain collaboration and continue improving the regulatory environment to accelerate gas development, strengthen energy security and support Nigeria’s economic diversification.
