Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria used the opening of the 2025 Gas Technology Exhibition and Conference, Gastech, in Milan to make a bold pitch to global investors, showcasing its 210 trillion cubic feet, TCF, of natural gas reserves as a launchpad for industrialization, export growth, and energy transition.
Speaking during a Ministerial Session themed “The New Energy Imperatives: Security and Resilience in a Volatile Global Market,” the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, said Nigeria was determined to unlock its vast gas endowment for both domestic and international markets.
“Nigeria is very keen on unlocking its 210 trillion cubic feet of natural gas for exports and for domestic utilisation to drive industrialisation and economic prosperity,” Ekpo declared.
“Our message to investors is clear: Nigeria is open for business and committed to creating the right environment for your investments to thrive.”
Also, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, reinforced this call while speaking in a one-on-one Energy Talk session with NBC’s Hala Gorani.
Ojulari urged international investors to seize opportunities in Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape.
“Nigeria’s natural gas moment is now. We have undeveloped reserves, ongoing projects like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline and NLNG Train 7, and an enabling environment that supports investment. We invite the world to partner with us to unlock these resources.”
Ojulari also headlined a pre-event dinner that set the tone for the Milan gathering, where he stressed that energy transition conversations must go beyond policy and technology to address affordability.
“This is a defining moment in the global energy industry. The conversations here will not just be about technology, markets, and policy, but about how companies translate innovation into availability and affordability — the cornerstone of Nigeria’s Gas-to-Prosperity Agenda,” the GCEO said.
He further argued that achieving balance between energy security and climate goals would require innovative policy frameworks.
“We need policies that drive sustainable development and investments that de-risk innovation and community empowerment,” Ojulari noted.
The NNPC boss commended President Bola Tinubu’s vision of positioning Nigeria as Africa’s energy hub, adding: “With resources, ambition, and conviction, Nigeria stands ready as a formidable partner to pursue a just, inclusive, and equitable energy transition.”
The Milan event, attended by over 50,000 professionals and more than 1,000 exhibitors from 150 countries, remains one of the world’s most influential gatherings for energy leaders.
