Nigeria Leads Africa’s Drive for Energy Independence — NLNG

Olakunle Osobu, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, 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 has reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, urging African nations to leverage their vast gas reserves to secure the continent’s energy and economic future.

Speaking at the Africa Energy Week (AEW) 2025 in South Africa, the company’s Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu, said Africa must chart its own path toward energy independence by investing in LNG value chains, infrastructure, and sustainable production.

He noted that with over 850 trillion cubic feet of gas, six percent of global reserves, Africa has the potential to transform from a supplier of raw energy resources to a strategic player in the international LNG market.

Highlighting Nigeria’s role as the continent’s LNG pioneer, Osobu pointed to the ongoing NLNG Train 7 expansion, which will raise the company’s capacity to 30 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). 

The project, he said, reinforces Nigeria’s position as a driver of LNG growth for both export and domestic energy supply.

Osobu emphasised that Africa’s LNG expansion could lift the continent’s total output from about 70 MTPA to 120 MTPA by 2035, while creating jobs, attracting investment, and accelerating industrialisation.

He, however, cautioned that to compete globally with producers like Qatar and the U.S., African nations must address challenges around financing, competitiveness, and the shift toward low-carbon energy.

The Africa Energy Week, organised by the African Energy Chamber, brought together policymakers, investors, and energy leaders to discuss strategies for a resilient and sustainable African energy future.