Asset access must translate Into investment, jobs and growth- Ekpo
The Federal Government has said access to Nigeria’s oil and gas assets must translate into investment, industrial development, job creation and improved livelihoods, rather than remain limited to ownership of resources.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr Ekperikpe Ekpo, stated this at the 2026 Energy Conference of the Nigerian Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC). He was represented by his Technical Adviser, Abel Nse.
Speaking on the theme, “Access to Assets: Empowering Players and Driving Growth,” Ekpo said Nigeria must move beyond the ownership of energy resources and focus on developing, financing and converting them into sustainable economic value.
He said the issue was particularly important for the gas sector, noting that Nigeria had approximately 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves as of January 2026.
According to him, the real value of the country’s gas resources lies in their ability to support electricity generation, industries, job creation, government revenue, exports and improved living standards.
“This is the fundamental philosophy behind the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas Initiative,” he said, adding that the government was working to transform Nigeria from a country rich in gas resources into one rich in gas-based economic opportunities.
Ekpo said gas should increasingly support power generation, transportation, manufacturing, fertiliser production, LPG adoption and other productive activities.
He stressed that access to energy assets should go beyond licences and acreage, as investors could still face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited financing, regulatory uncertainty, insufficient evacuation capacity and weak market access.
He said the government was therefore focused on creating an environment where access to resources was matched by access to infrastructure, capital, markets and predictable regulation.
According to him, projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) and Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipelines are critical to strengthening the national gas network and connecting gas supplies to major demand centres.
“Infrastructure is the bridge between our resources and the industries, power plants, businesses and households that need them,” he said.
The minister said the government was also working to create a more attractive investment environment through reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and other fiscal and regulatory measures aimed at reducing barriers and improving the bankability of gas projects.
He called for stronger collaboration between government, private investors, financial institutions, development partners, regulators and other industry stakeholders to move viable projects from concept to production.
Ekpo also called for greater participation by indigenous companies, independent producers, infrastructure developers, technology providers and emerging energy businesses.
He said expanding participation would strengthen local capacity, deepen competition and ensure that more of the value created in the energy sector remained in Nigeria.
The minister said the government was also prioritising domestic gas utilisation through initiatives targeting gas-to-power, LNG, LPG, CNG, fertiliser, petrochemicals and other gas-based industries.
He said efforts to expand LPG access and promote CNG adoption were aimed at ensuring that more Nigerians could benefit directly from the country’s gas resources.
Ekpo further stressed the need to deepen Nigerian participation in the sector, saying local content should evolve from participation in contracts to ownership of skills, technology, capital and assets.
He added that host communities must also receive tangible benefits from petroleum operations to ensure a more sustainable and inclusive industry.
“Government’s responsibility is to provide the policy certainty, regulatory clarity, infrastructure and enabling environment that allow investors and operators to succeed,” he said.
He urged industry players to respond with capital, innovation, efficiency and a commitment to developing Nigeria’s resources responsibly.
Ekpo said Nigeria had the resources needed to drive economic growth but must now focus on unlocking their full value.
“We must move from access to assets, to development of assets; from development to utilisation; and from utilisation to broad-based economic growth,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing the Decade of Gas and building a gas sector that is investable, competitive and inclusive.
“Access to assets must ultimately become access to opportunity, prosperity and national development,” he said.
