Nigerias Erdgas und die nachhaltige Industrialisierung Afrikas (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)

This research paper examines Nigeria's natural gas sector and its potential to drive sustainable industrialization across Africa. It analyzes the 'Decade of Gas' (2021-2030) initiative, critical infrastructure projects, and the regulatory reforms needed to transition from a reliance on oil exports to a gas-powered economy that supports regional energy security and manufacturing.

• Nigeria possesses the largest natural gas reserves in Africa, holding 33 percent of the continent's reserves with 206.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven reserves as of 2023.
• The Nigerian government's 'Decade of Gas Development' (2021-2030) aims to prioritize natural gas for industrial growth, targeting a domestic gas demand increase from 30 percent in 2020 to 60 percent by 2030.
• Nigeria is a major global LNG exporter, ranking seventh in 2022 with 14.7 million metric tons shipped. It currently operates six liquefaction trains on Bonny Island with a combined capacity of 1.10 Tcf per year, with a seventh train expected by 2026.
• Significant infrastructure projects are being developed to expand gas distribution, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline (614 km, USD 2.8 billion), the Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) pipeline (127 km, 2 BSCF/D capacity), and the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS).
• Nigeria faces severe gas flaring issues, ranking as the ninth-highest flaring country globally with 188 Bcf flared in 2022. The government has introduced the Gas Flare Commercialization Programme and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to monetize flared gas and prohibit venting.
• The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a USD 21 billion project intended to transport up to 30 Bcm of gas annually from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria and Europe, faces uncertainty following Niger’s 2023 coup and withdrawal from ECOWAS.
• Industrialization in Africa is hindered by an energy access gap, with 600 million people (43 percent of the population) lacking electricity, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Nigeria's energy transition strategy aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, positioning natural gas as a bridge fuel. The National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy targets 30,000 MW of electricity from renewables by 2030.
• Key barriers to the bankability of gas projects in Nigeria include poor payment discipline in the power sector, where generation companies (GenCos) fail to pay for supplied gas, and a fiscal structure that favors upstream oil producers over midstream gas investment.

APA

Agbaegbu, C. (2025). Nigerias Erdgas und die nachhaltige Industrialisierung Afrikas (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/nigerias-erdgas-und-die-nachhaltige-industrialisierung-afrikas-en

Chicago

Agbaegbu, Chibuikem. Nigerias Erdgas und die nachhaltige Industrialisierung Afrikas (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/nigerias-erdgas-und-die-nachhaltige-industrialisierung-afrikas-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Agbaegbu |first1=Chibuikem |title=Nigerias Erdgas und die nachhaltige Industrialisierung Afrikas (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=26 November 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/nigerias-erdgas-und-die-nachhaltige-industrialisierung-afrikas-en |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{agbaegbu2025nigerias, author = {Agbaegbu, Chibuikem}, title = {{Nigerias Erdgas und die nachhaltige Industrialisierung Afrikas (EN) | Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/nigerias-erdgas-und-die-nachhaltige-industrialisierung-afrikas-en}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }