AJAOKUTA, Nigeria — The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partners launched construction of five mini-liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, on 30 January 2025. The plants, with a combined capacity of 97 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d), are expected to come online in mid-2026.
The project aligns with the federal government’s “Gas Revolution Agenda” and its “Gas to Prosperity” initiative, aiming to leverage natural gas for sustainable development and economic growth. NNPC holds stakes in three of the plants – NNPC Prime LNG (90%), NGML/Gasnexus LNG (50%), and BUA LNG (10%) – while private companies are developing the remaining two, Highland LNG and LNG Arete.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the government’s gas-to-power goals. “These Mini liquefied natural gas facilities will ensure the efficient transportation of gas over long distances, providing a cleaner and cheaper source of energy to households, mobility, industries, and businesses,” Kyari said.
He noted the particular benefit for regions lacking pipeline infrastructure and highlighted natural gas as a catalyst for industrialisation, job creation, and economic diversification, attributing progress in upstream and gas infrastructure projects to President Bola Tinubu’s support.
Minister for Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo described the project as an unprecedented achievement for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, stating that natural gas will accelerate industrialisation, economic growth, and prosperity. He emphasized the project’s alignment with the government’s strategy to harness Nigeria’s gas resources and its potential to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
This development follows recent international interest in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, including a late January drilling contract awarded to Saudi Arabia’s ADES Group by Brittania-U, a Nigerian energy company.
