Nigeria’s gas sector has attracted about N1.6 trillion in private investment alongside N671 billion in public funding for infrastructure, as the government seeks to expand domestic gas supply for industries, power generation and transportation.
The investment figures point to the scale of capital being channelled into the sector, but the economic payoff will depend on how quickly pipeline projects, distribution networks and refuelling infrastructure translate into more reliable energy and lower operating costs for businesses and households.
Taofeek Balogun, workstream lead for infrastructure and demand at the Decade of Gas Secretariat, disclosed this at a media capacity-building session organised by the secretariat in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV) in Kano on Thursday.
Balogun said the country had also attracted $3.5bn in committed investments across four major gas projects, while the OB3 Gas Pipeline had been completed and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline was about 95 percent complete.
He said Nigeria’s proven gas reserves increased from 208.83 trillion cubic feet in 2023 to 215.19 trillion cubic feet in January 2026, while average gas production rose from 6.86 billion cubic feet per day to approximately 7.5 billion cubic feet per day.
Domestic gas supply, he added, had exceeded two billion cubic feet per day.
The developments come as the Federal Government seeks to expand the use of natural gas in power generation, industrial production, household cooking and transportation.
Balogun also highlighted the government’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) programme, which targets five million households by 2030. He said the programme had recorded launches in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states, with distribution activities involving 27,000 LPG cylinders and regional sensitisation campaigns underway.
He further cited September 24, 2028, as the target date for Nigeria’s transition to a willing-buyer, willing-seller gas market framework, designed to strengthen competition, transparency and commercial sustainability.
On transportation, Tosin Coker, chief operating officer of PI-CNG & EV, said compressed natural gas (CNG) offered opportunities to reduce fuel expenditure, improve energy security and support the transition to cleaner mobility.
Coker disclosed that 670 CNG buses had been deployed nationwide, including 285 operating commercially across 13 states, while 302 had been allocated to transport unions, students and government agencies.
He said the initiative had deployed 25 additional buses in Kano to complement earlier commercial deployments, while hundreds of additional CNG buses and tricycles were on order.
Under the National Affordable CNG Transition Programme, participating bus routes have recorded fare reductions ranging from 15 to 50 per cent, according to the initiative.
To support wider adoption, Coker said plans were underway to establish 127 additional CNG refuelling stations across 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Kano was identified as a strategic centre for CNG development in Northern Nigeria, with seven operational refuelling stations and 17 others at various stages of completion, positioning the state to expand cleaner transport options and attract investments along the northern gas corridor.
Coker also addressed concerns about CNG safety, stressing the need for certified vehicle conversion centres, approved equipment, regulatory compliance and proper vehicle maintenance.
The media engagement brought together about 27 journalists from television, radio, print and digital platforms to improve their understanding of Nigeria’s gas development agenda and strengthen public awareness of opportunities in the sector.
Edu V. Antai, lead for technology and media engagement at the Decade of Gas Secretariat, said the Kano session was the first formal engagement with journalists in the state, following similar programmes in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
During an interactive session, journalists sought clarification on gas accessibility, affordability, safety, infrastructure development and the implementation of government policies.
Murtala Adewale of The Guardian, speaking on behalf of the participants, commended the organisers for providing an opportunity for journalists to deepen their knowledge of developments in the gas industry.
Adewale called for more frequent capacity-building sessions, wider participation by journalists and stronger collaboration with industry stakeholders and regulatory agencies to promote accurate reporting.
The Decade of Gas Secretariat and PI-CNG & EV reaffirmed their commitment to sustained media engagement, stakeholder collaboration and public education as Nigeria advances its gas development agenda.
