The Federal Government and African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), have stressed the need for Africa to urgently address the gas infrastructure gap, reclaim control of their natural resources to drive a resilient gas economy in the African continent.
Reaffirming the quantum of gas in Nigeria and the continent, the government, APPO and other critical players in the gas industry, stressed the need to ensure proper penetration of gas either in Nigeria or the African context through increased infrastructural investments, insisting that gas Infrastructure would stimulate demand.
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo who delivered the keynote address at the 2nd edition of the Africa Gas Innovation Summit (AGIS) 2025 and the Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (OLEF) organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigeria Council on Wednesday in Abuja, themed “Building a Resilient African Gas Economy Through Innovation and Collaboration,” said there was need for a shared African road map.
Represented by his Technical Adviser (Downstream), Dr Abel Igheghe, the minister who stressed the need for strategic partnerships, warned that without inclusive participation and innovation, Africa would fall behind.
Ekpo argued there was the need to de-risk the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline to Trans-Saharan and West African Gas ventures through consistent policies, investor-friendly frameworks, and stronger political will.
He said: “National efforts alone are not sufficient. The resilience we seek in Africa’s gas economy must be continental. That resilience must come from cross-border cooperation, harmonised regulatory frameworks, shared infrastructure, regional markets, and common financing platforms. A fragmented approach will not deliver the scale or the impact we desire.
“And then there is innovation, the heartbeat of sustainability. We must foster African home-grown solutions, encourage research and development in low-carbon technologies, support startups driving digital energy innovation, and build local content capacity that empowers our youth and professionals. Let us remember, the future of energy will not be built on fossil fuels or renewables alone, but on the innovation that bridges them both.
“Let us align our national gas ambitions into a shared African roadmap that speaks with one voice on global platforms, innovate relentlessly Whether in carbon capture, virtual pipeline systems, hydrogen research, or smart metering, let African engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs lead.”
Secretary General, African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), Omar Farouk urged African countries to break free from the exploitative frameworks of countries in the North, ensure infrastructural investment takes centre stage and new ways of addressing challenges explored, if Nigeria and Africa wants to build a resilient gas economy.
Highlighting an urgent need for Africa to embrace a paradigm shift away from dependence to independence and in relating with countries in the North, Farouk argued that the focus of African gas players should be Africa for the main time.
He decried the continent’s continued dependence on foreign markets, technologies, and policies, stressing that Africa must stop perpetuating an illusion of global equality in energy.
“We are not denying the reality of a global village and a global market. It is the reality. But are we supposed to promote this unjust reality and never perpetuate it within the economy? I would argue that our focus in Africa should at least for now be Africa.
“For too long, it has been made to believe that we are too poor to access the energy that the world has endowed us with. We are made to believe that it is in our best interest to export our energy to get foreign exchange with which to buy commodities and services.
“That is why we see nothing wrong with a continent that has the unenviable record of being home to the largest proportion of the world’s population living without access to modern energy, exporting 45% of the gas that it produces and 75% of the crude oil that it produces.
“We have failed to understand that access to energy is a synonym to economic and social development. Show me one industrial country that made it without making energy accessible to a vast majority of its people.
“This is a severe bottleneck in the field for us. If we are genuinely committed to building a resilient gas economy, then infrastructure investment must take center stage. New ways of addressing challenges must be tried.”
While urging Africa to take its destiny into its own hands and stop relying on outsiders, Farouk identified finance, technology, and migrants as the three imminent challenges energy transition poses to the African oil and gas industry.
“When Africa has addressed these three crucial challenges, and is able to fund to a large degree its oil and gas products, substantially reduced dependence on oil and gas technology and expertise, and has created a sustainable market for its energy, we will be better prepared for global class market integration.
“Until then, we will be only perpetuating an unequal and exploitative relationship characterized by dependence, not interdependence.”
Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmed Galadima Aminu who reiterated the agency’s commitment to fostering human capital and policy discourse in Nigeria’s energy space, said the consistent support for the forum reflects PTDF’s dedication to sustainable energy growth through technology, strategy, and partnerships.
“We believe energy security is achievable only through local capacity, resilient supply chains, and innovation-driven policy. PTDF remains committed to supporting initiatives like OLEF that drive innovation, empower professionals, and shape policies that will define the future of energy in Nigeria.”
The Chairperson, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, Engr. Amina Danmadami described the summit as a “strategic convergence of ideas, expertise, and ambition aimed at unlocking the full
potential of Africa’s gas resources.”
According to her, it would help Africa in understanding how digitalisation, infrastructure modernisation, gas-to-power strategies, clean cooking solutions, and regional integration could help position Africa as a global gas powerhouse.
“It reflects our collective aspiration to shape a gas-driven future that is not only profitable, but also inclusive, technologically advanced,
environmentally responsible, and resilient to global shocks. Africa’s gas sector is at a defining moment. We possess abundant reserves, yet we must overcome legacy challenges: infrastructure gaps, fragmented
markets, underinvestment, and policy uncertainties.”
