NLNG Challenges Africa to Take Charge Of Its Energy Future
Kathy Kyari
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has called on African nations to move beyond their traditional role as suppliers of raw materials and assert themselves as central players in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The Role of African LNG in a Dynamic Export Market” at the Africa Energy Week (AEW) 2025 in South Africa, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu, emphasized that Africa must not be a bystander in shaping the global conversation around energy security, affordability, and sustainability.
“Africa is not a bystander in this conversation on energy security, affordability, and sustainability. The continent is a rising pillar of global supply, and Nigeria has a duty to lead,” Osobu declared.
He noted that with more than 850 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves—about six percent of the world’s total—Africa possesses the resources, position, and ambition to double its share of the global LNG market within the next decade.
Highlighting Nigeria’s pioneering role in LNG development, Osobu pointed to the ongoing NLNG Train 7 expansion project, which will increase the company’s capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA.
“Our investment in expansion shows that Nigeria is driving LNG growth not only for exports but also for domestic industries and energy access. We must prove that Africa can deliver LNG that is secure, competitive, and sustainable,” he said.
Osobu revealed that emerging LNG projects across the continent could add more than 45 MTPA of new supply, potentially raising Africa’s total LNG output from 70 MTPA today to about 120 MTPA by 2035. Such growth, he said, would cement Africa’s position as a global LNG hub.
While acknowledging the continent’s strategic advantage—particularly its shorter shipping routes to both Europe and Asia—Osobu cautioned that challenges around competitiveness, financing, and domestic energy responsibility persist. He noted that the United States and Qatar are expanding their LNG capacities rapidly, even as global financiers demand low-carbon and decarbonised LNG investments.
He stressed that Africa’s LNG journey must balance reliable exports with the need to drive industrialisation and demonstrate sustainability in line with global decarbonisation goals.
Organised by the African Energy Chamber, the Africa Energy Week 2025 convened policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to shape strategies for the continent’s evolving energy landscape.
0 Comments