Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd., Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, has unveiled the strategic direction of the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026, outlining an aggressive expansion drive to position Nigeria as a regional and global gas powerhouse.
Ogunleye delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Lagos Energy Week organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE, where he detailed plans to accelerate gas development, deepen infrastructure and significantly scale domestic supply.
According to him, the Gas Master Plan targets a scale-up of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, supply from 1.5 million tonnes per annum, MTPA, to 5 MTPA, alongside expanded feedstock for Mini-LNG and Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, projects.
“The NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026 is a blueprint to unlock Nigeria’s vast gas potential and translate it into tangible economic value,” Ogunleye said.
He added that the strategy would also drive exponential growth in Gas-Based Industries, GBIs, strengthening local manufacturing, fertiliser production and power generation.
“Our renewed focus is on turning abundant gas resources into inclusive economic growth and improved quality of life for Nigerians,” he stated.
Ogunleye said the plan aligns with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative and the presidential production targets of achieving 10 billion cubic feet per day by 2027 and 12 BCF/D by 2030.
Industry leaders at the event, including executives from Chevron Corporation, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Limited, Abuja Gas Processing Company and Shell Nigeria Gas, commended the plan and praised Ogunleye’s leadership in driving implementation excellence.
The new blueprint signals NNPC’s determination to anchor Nigeria’s energy transition on gas, leveraging infrastructure expansion and domestic utilisation to consolidate the country’s status as Africa’s largest gas reserve holder.
