Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has declared that the key to unlocking Africa’s vast natural gas potential lies not just in its reserves but in a deliberate, results-driven approach across the entire gas value chain. This was the resounding message delivered by the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, during a strategic panel session at the 24th Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja.
The session, titled “Accelerating Gas Development for Domestic and Global Energy Needs”, brought together top energy industry leaders, policymakers, and global investors. Mshelbila used the opportunity to reiterate that real progress in Nigeria’s gas sector would depend on execution, performance, and commitment—not mere rhetoric.
“Nigeria is blessed with abundant gas reserves, but that’s just the beginning,” Mshelbila stated. “To make LNG work, you must explore, produce economically, transport it for liquefaction, and ensure there’s a robust value chain for delivery. It requires execution, not just potential.”
He said global confidence in Nigeria’s gas industry will only deepen if stakeholders deliver consistent results, citing Qatar and the United States as countries that have attracted major investments by backing reforms with strong performance. “Investors respond to performance, not PowerPoint presentations,” he added.
Reflecting on the NLNG journey, Mshelbila said it took over three decades to kick off the project, but once it began, successive expansion phases were made possible by keeping focus on fundamentals. He highlighted the importance of the recently implemented Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and new presidential directives as turning points for the sector.
“These reforms have enhanced governance, restored investor confidence, and accelerated new investments—like NLNG’s Train 7, which will increase our production capacity to 30 million metric tons per annum (mtpa),” he said.
Comparing Nigeria’s trajectory with that of Qatar, Mshelbila noted that while both countries began their LNG journeys around the same time, Qatar now produces over 140 mtpa—a scale Nigeria must aspire to if it is to fully leverage its gas resources for domestic growth and regional leadership.
Mshelbila acknowledged Nigeria’s past challenges in infrastructure and policy uncertainty, but he noted significant improvements due to stronger collaboration between government agencies, regulators, investors, and host communities.
“There’s a new professionalism in our energy institutions. Better integration and clarity are leading to lower costs, faster decision-making, and the resolution of long-standing issues,” he said.
He emphasized that harnessing natural gas for power, transportation, and export markets will require seamless coordination among all actors in the ecosystem. “From upstream production to downstream consumption, every link must perform,” he stressed.
The NLNG boss urged continued implementation of policies that support local content, contract stability, and investment security. He added that the energy sector must remain agile and innovative to adapt to the fast-changing global energy transition landscape.
Mshelbila’s comments come as global demand for cleaner energy sources rises, with natural gas widely regarded as a vital transition fuel. Nigeria, which holds one of the largest gas reserves in the world, stands to benefit significantly—if it gets the implementation right.