By Emmanuella Anokam

The Federal Government says Nigeria is currently producing about 1.745 million barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) targeting to hit two million bpd by the end of 2025.

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil) said this while declaring the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week open on Tuesday in Abuja.

Lokpobiri said that the production target for 2025 budget was based on 2.06 million bpd, adding that it must ramp up production to hit two million.

“We can succeed when we work together to be strong enough to deliver.

“I urge the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) to change its target ambition to producing above two million barrels by 2025,” he said.

He said that in 2023 when he was appointed as the minister, there was no investment for 10 years due to legal framework and other challenges.

He said that from 2023, the narrative changed and investments were recorded as a result of deliberate policies and reforms that worked, and absolute increase in investors’ confidence in Nigeria.

The minister also appealed to the National Assembly to reduce the number of summons of the IOCs and industry players for legislative hearing.

“Part of the complaints in the industry is about the frequent summons at the National Assembly and that should be reduced.

“I was a senator for many years, we knew the consequences of some of these actions, before summoning you need to look at the issues critically and make consultations.

“What is the business of summoning the IOCs on procurement issues that happened many years ago. They should not be summoned for frivolous reasons,” the minister said.

On the African Energy Bank, he said that advertisement was placed for the office of its President, adding that in the next few days Afreximbank and other partners would convene a shareholders’ meeting.

Also speaking, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said that Nigeria had proven gas reserves of over 200 trillion cubic feet.

Ekpo said that value would only be created in the gas sector when resources were developed and utilised.

He said that through the “Decade of Gas” initiative, the country was focused on translating its vast gas wealth into tangible socio-economic benefits.

This, he said, included driving industrialisation, expanding power generation, increasing domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) usage, deepening gas-to-transport adoption, and growing gas export capacity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2025 NOG Energy Week Conference and Exhibition is with the theme, “Accelerating Global Energy Progress through Investment, Partnerships, and Innovation”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Emmanuella Anokam

Oilserv Limited, the contractor handling the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline project, says the pipeline has successfully crossed the River Niger, using the Horizontal Directional Drilling special technique, minimising environmental impact.

Dr Emeka Okwuosa, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oilserv Limited, said this in Abuja during a chat with newsmen.

While confirming the development, Okwuosa said that the company delivered the project with technical excellence in spite of the challenging terrain.

The project, being executed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), is a 614km natural gas pipeline project.

It is designed to transport gas for power generation, industrialisation and residential use from Ajaokuta to Kano, passing through Kaduna and Abuja.

Okwuosa said that crossing the River Niger, which was the major obstacle and challenge facing the project, was a major milestone achieved.

He said that the plan and target of the project was to achieve its mechanical completion by the end of 2025.

He described the Horizontal Directional Drilling method used as a special technology and technique which involved going through a consolidated formation to achieve the milestone.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the technology is a trenchless method for installing underground utilities like pipes, conduits or cables.

This is done by using a surface-launched drilling rig to create a curved, underground path, minimising surface disruption.

“We have been working closely with the NNPC to overcome challenges.

“The crossing of River Niger, which is the major obstacle, is a major milestone. Without crossing the River Nigeria, you will not have a complete pipeline.” he said.

He said that the AKK pipeline was a key part of Nigeria Gas Master plan.

According to him, it transversed different terrains from thick jungle, and there were multiple river crossings carried out along the Right of Way and also heels and cliffs crossings.

“We had to cross roads and dual carriageways. It may appear simple, but a lot of times you cross these without crossing the road. Physically you have to drill across.

“But the significance of River Niger is that it is a huge river from one bank to the other.

“In this particular case, where we are is more than two kilometers. And we have to build this pipeline in a way that we respect the environment and avoid disturbing the water itself,” he said.

Okwuosa described the crossing as being similar to the Channel Tunnel that was built from England to France in order to have train passage.

He said that the Channel Tunnel was a larger diameter hole that enabled transport to go.

According to him, out of the 614km pipeline, Oilserv is building 303km, approximately half of that, starting from the Ajaokuta all the way to the border between Kaduna State and Niger State.

He said that the project was a key part of Nigeria Gas Master Plan.

“Part of it has already been built, namely – the Escravos Lagos Pipeline which is in existence and OB3 pipeline which it completed its part four years ago.

“In our own segment, we have to blast rocks to be able to lay the pipeline. Most of the areas around Kogi is all rock.

“We are an indigenous company and the premier indigenous EPC pipeline company. There is no other company of the size and capacity of Oilserv to execute a project like this. It is a good testament,” he said.

He listed challenges facing the project to include security, the terrain, flood and logistics involved in moving the large pipes from the port to the relevant location.

According to him, with the support from the Afreximbank and that of Fidelity Bank, Oilserv raises the money, achieves the milestone, puts its bill/invoice while the NNPC pays. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Federal Government has underscored the need to de-risk African gas pipeline projects through consistent policies, investor-friendly frameworks and stronger political will.

Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), made this known in Abuja at the 2025 edition of the Africa Gas Innovation Summit (AGIS).

The summit, with the theme, “Building a Resilient African Gas Economy Through Innovation and Collaboration”, was organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigeria Council.

“From the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline to Trans-Saharan and West African Gas ventures, these are not just pipelines; they are economic lifelines.

“We must de-risk them through consistent policies, investor-friendly frameworks and stronger political will,” he said.

He emphasised the need to foster African home-grown solutions, encourage research and development in low-carbon technologies, support startups driving digital energy innovation and build local content capacity.

He said that the future of energy would 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.

“Whether in carbon capture, virtual pipeline systems, hydrogen research, or smart metering, let African engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs lead.

“Women, youth, academia and communities must not only benefit from the gas economy but be empowered as co-architects of its development,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director, Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), said that infrastructure remained the biggest challenge to domestic gas development in Nigeria.

Mshelbila, represented by Joseph Alagoa, General Manager, Corporate Services, NLNG, said that Nigeria had 5,000km of pipelines and six LNG trains currently operational, with Train 7 under construction.

According to him, the domestic gas market remains underdeveloped due to poor infrastructure planning and investment.

He said that pipelines, metering systems and storage facilities were not just technical assets, but economic lifeline, adding that without them, energy access remains a mirage. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Emmanuella Anokam

The African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) has identified lack of finance, technological infrastructure and foreign over-dependency, as critical challenges facing the African energy markets integration.

Dr Farouk Omar, Secretary-General of APPO, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the Africa Gas Innovation Summit (AGIS) 2025.

Omar said infrastructure like pipelines was central to the development of the energy markets.

The summit hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigeria Council in collaboration with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) had its theme as “Building a Resilient Africa Gas Economy through Innovation and Collaboration”.

“When Africa has addressed these critical challenges and is able to fund its projects to a large degree, create sustainable markets and reduce dependence on technology and expertise, we will be better prepared for global gas market integration.

“Until then, we will be only perpetuating an unequal and exploitative relationship characterised by dependence, not interdependence,” Omar said.

Omar said it decided to look for new ways to address these challenges, especially finance gap, by going into partnership with Afrexim Bank, to fund the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) with headquarters in Abuja.

According to the APPO Secretary-General, legally, the bank is alive now and will be inaugurated soon.

He said they already concluded plans to have an international treaty in force with the signing and ratification of the establishment agreement and charter of the bank by the minimum number of APPO member countries.

He said it had also advertised the position of the president, and very soon other positions shall be advertised.

“We are working on pooling the resources of our member countries, both public and private, to establish regional centres of excellence in the various sectors of the oil and gas industry.

“The current practice, where our countries pursue industry technology acquisition and capacity development in silos, each having oil and gas research and development institutions, as well as training institutions, have not yielded the desired results.

“For general research and training of middle and high-level manpower, they are suitable, but for breakthrough research and innovation, we need to pull our resources together to pursue common objectives,” he said.

He said it had partnered with the Central Africa Business Energy Forum (CABEF), to work on the provision of energy infrastructure, more precisely creating a comprehensive network of pipelines to link the 11 Central African States by gas, products and crude oil.

“A couple of weeks ago, APPO, CABEF and the Central African Economic Community (CEMAC) agreed on the documents to be presented to the next summit of the heads of state of CEMAC to be hosted in Central Africa,” Omar added.

Omar, who gave a keynote speech titled “Shaping Africa’s Gas Sector for Global Integration”, urged African countries to focus on Africa, as true interdependence can only be among equals or near equals.

He frowned at the notion that it was in the best interest of Nigeria to export energy to get foreign exchange with which to buy foreign goods 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 per cent of gas and 75 per cent of crude oil it produces.

“Furthermore, out of a projected capital requirement of 89 billion dollars, only four billion is currently committed to projects being built, while a staggering 85 billion dollars remains tied to proposed projects with uncertain timelines.

“It’s a severe bottleneck and a clear call to action,” he said.

In an address, Dr Amina Danmadami, Chairperson, SPE, Nigeria Council, said the summit was a call to action—a strategic convergence of ideas, expertise and ambition, aimed at unlocking the full potential of Africa’s gas resources.

Danmadami lamented that the Africa’s gas sector is at a defining moment, adding that Nigeria possessed abundant reserves, yet it must overcome legacy challenges of infrastructure gaps, fragmented markets, underinvestment, and policy uncertainties.

She said the AGIS 2025 would showcase how digitalisation, infrastructure modernisation, gas-to-power strategies, clean cooking solutions, and regional integration could position Africa as a global gas powerhouse.

“The SPE will document and transmit key recommendations to policy and industry stakeholders, ensuring that AGIS 2025 drives meaningful and lasting impact,” Danmadami said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGI) says the Mobility-CNG Supply Framework will ensure affordable, uninterrupted and adequate autogas supply to end-users in the country.

Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director, P-CNGI, said this during the unveiling/implementation of the Mobility-CNG Supply Framework, in Abuja.

The framework is being implemented by the P-CNGI in collaboration with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria Ltd. (GACN).

The framework aims at developing a national gas supply strategy that ensures uninterrupted distribution options from diversified sources for adequate supply, to meet the increasing demand in the country.

The CNG pricing management has developed a transparent pricing framework that accurately reflects upstream natural gas costs and midstream distribution expenses while ensuring an affordable end-user alternate price.

It aims at promoting CNG supply incentives, encourage market participation through incentives to increase conversion and support for standardised facilities as well as technologies to allow supply stability nationwide.

Oluwagbemi recalled that in 2024, the NMDPRA approved the concessionary pricing structure for auto gas CNG sector, an approved incentive and part of the presidential energy reforms, which allowed auto gas CNG to be priced much lower than gas for power and industries.

“What we are doing here today is to flag off the implementation of that framework, because in an economy where gas is being used for various purposes, it’s possible for someone to make demands of gas for auto CNG, since it’s priced lower, and then use it for power.

“So, there was a potential opportunity for arbitrage.

“We needed to do it in an organised fashion, create the proper market for autogas CNG, where people can actually make demand, pay for it, get their gas, and then use it, sell it, into the auto CNG market,” he said.

He said that there were over 65 daughter stations as against 20 in the country, adding that two more new BOVAS filling stations were opened on Monday in Ibadan, Oyo, due to tremendous growth in the market since 2024.

“And we have 28 new stations coming up in the coming weeks. So there is a growing market.

“By incentivising the private sector, creating an enabling environment and providing the right incentives like the concessionary gas prices, and deliver to Nigerians, there will be a more secured and cleaner energy,” he said.

Also, Mr Chijiioke Uzoho, Managing Director, GACN, said the concessionary pricing framework would ensure regulatory alignment and commercial discipline in the sector, ensuring that every molecule of gas delivered under the framework was accounted for.

In a presentation, Mr Oche Agbese, Manager, Gas Trading and Network Code, GACN, said it had secured 20 million standard cubic feet daily (mscfd), in addition to the already operationalised 20mscfd, to meet increasing gas demand.

He said it had firmed up structure around gas payment scrutinisation for the framework, and concluded ongoing discussions with gas producers towards projected demand in the medium to long term.

On gas sourcing and supply chain infrastructure, he said it would work closely with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), to unlock gas from untapped gas assets.

He further said that a fleet of high capacity CNG trailers would be deployed to transport gas from mother stations to daughter stations and retail outlets.

Omolara Obileye, the Business Development and Strategy Coordinator, P-CNGI, said the programme which had attracted about 500 million dollars investment, had trained over 2,500 conversion technicians.

According to Obileye, the CNG footprint is currently active in 21 states, while 10 states are set to join the P-CNGi footprint in few months.

This, she said, has a consequential impact in reducing cost of governance and enhancing revenue through domestic gas utilisation. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali