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FG upbeat on massive economic boost, as NNPC unveils new gas masterplan
As part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s gas sector as the engine room of national industrialisation, energy security, and sustainable economic growth, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has officially unveiled its Gas Master Plan (GMP) 2026, tagged NGMP 2026.
The unveiling, held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Friday, 30th January, 2026 marks a strategic inflection point in Nigeria’s energy transition journey, underscoring government’s resolve to translate the nation’s vast gas endowment into tangible economic value, infrastructure expansion, and global competitiveness, in alignment with its long-term development aspirations.
Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), who described the initiative as a deliberate pivot from policy articulation to disciplined execution, anchored on commercial viability and integrated sector-wide coordination, noted that its strong focus on supply reliability, infrastructure expansion, domestic and export market flexibility, and strategic partnerships aligned seamlessly with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas Initiative, positioning natural gas as the backbone of Nigeria’s energy security, industrialisation, and just energy transition.
“Today’s launch is not merely the unveiling of a document, it represents a deliberate shift towards a more integrated, commercially driven, and execution-focused gas sector, aligned with Nigeria’s development aspirations. Nigeria is fundamentally a gas Nation. With one of the largest proven gas reserves in Africa, our challenge has never been potential, but translation: translating resources into reliable supply, infrastructure into value, and policy into measurable outcomes for our economy and our people. The Gas Master Plan speaks directly to this challenge.”
Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), NNPC Ltd, who echoed the same sentiments, said the move represented a bold, effective execution-anchored roadmap designed to unlock Nigeria’s immense gas potential and elevate the country into a globally competitive gas hub.
Ojulari noted that with about 210 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves and an upside potential of up to 600 Tcf, Nigeria possesses one of the most consequential hydrocarbon basins in the world; one reinforced by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Federal Government’s gas-centric energy transition agenda.
“The Plan is structured not just to deliver – but to exceed – the presidential mandate of increasing national gas production to 10 billion cubic feet per day by 2027 and 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, while catalysing over 60 billion dollars in new investments across the oil and gas value chain by 2030.”
He explained that the plan prioritised cost optimisation, operational excellence, and systematic advancement of resources from 3P to bankable 2P reserves, while strengthening gas supply to power generation, CNG, LPG, Mini-LNG, and critical industrial off-takers.
Reaffirming his personal commitment as Chief Sponsor of the initiative, the NNPC Ltd boss stressed that the company had adopted a more collaborative, investor-centric approach in shaping the NGMP 2026, with strong alignment to industry stakeholders, partners, and investors.
Adegbite Falade, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Producers’ Group (IPPG) and CEO of Aradel Holdings, said in a goodwill message: “This is giving a shot in the arm to the economy which will bridge the gap between intent and reality. Gas thrives on value chain, from upstream to offtakers. As IPPG members, we reiterate our commitment and support to this initiative.”
Matthieu Bouyer, Chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and Managing Director of TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, thanked the NNPC Ltd for the ambition behind the NNPC GMP, stressing that his organisation supports the core operating principles of the Plan.
The Gas Master Plan 2026 is expected to serve as the definitive framework for coordinated gas sector development, execution discipline, and value creation over the next decade.
The Gas Master Plan 2026 is an offshoot of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan (NGMP) 2008, which is a strategic framework aimed at maximizing the economic benefits from the country’s abundant gas resources. Another significant dimension to the NGMP 2026 is the utmost attention to full alignment with the Nigerian Decade of Gas Programme.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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