Nigeria Targets $20 Billion Investment from 70 Key Gas Projects to Boost Industrial Growth
Story: written by Daniel November 13,2025
Nigeria is set to attract up to $20 billion in new investments from 70 priority gas projects, as the country accelerates efforts to leverage its vast natural gas reserves for industrialisation, job creation, and energy security.
The projects, selected from over 200 reviewed by the Decade of Gas Secretariat, were identified as the most viable opportunities to advance Nigeria’s goal of becoming a gas-powered economy by 2030, according to Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“These projects represent near-term opportunities to create tens of thousands of jobs, drive industrial growth, and attract over $20 billion in investment,” Ahmed said during the opening of the Gas Utilisation Unlock Validation Series in Lagos under the Decade of Gas initiative.
The 70 selected projects span six major clusters: power generation, fertiliser, petrochemicals, industrial feedstock, compressed/liquefied petroleum gas (CNG/LPG), and gas exports, with a combined potential gas demand of 15 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd). They were chosen from a total of 215 proposed projects representing 30 bscfd of demand.
Ahmed explained that a three-week validation process will assess the credibility of each project, aligning supply with demand, establishing pricing frameworks, and identifying necessary infrastructure and policy enablers to accelerate implementation. “This validation is not only an audit but also a mechanism to fast-track project execution,” he said.
Launched in 2021, the Decade of Gas Initiative is Nigeria’s flagship energy transition program, aiming to harness over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves. The program focuses on supply, infrastructure, pricing, and utilisation, positioning gas as a key driver for industrial development and export diversification.
Despite holding Africa’s largest gas reserves, Nigeria has struggled with under-utilisation, hindered by infrastructure gaps, regulatory overlaps, and market uncertainties. Ahmed emphasized that the current review process is designed to remove barriers and unlock the sector’s full potential.
The NMDPRA has also operationalised the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code, improved supply stability, and introduced market-based pricing and licensing frameworks to support private-sector investment. Sustainability standards aligned with the EU Methane Emission Reduction Regulation and the UN OGMP 2.0 are being implemented to ensure competitiveness and environmental compliance.
Ahmed urged stakeholders to treat the validation process as a collective commitment to accelerate delivery, stressing the urgency to transition projects from concept to execution. “Within the next 12 to 24 months, we must commission critical gas projects that will anchor the Decade of Gas and define Nigeria’s energy future,” he said.
With rising energy demand, declining oil revenues, and global interest in low-carbon fuels, Nigeria’s gas sector is poised to become a regional hub for industrialisation and exports in West and Central Africa.
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