The officials spoke on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at a media capacity-building engagement organised by the two initiatives in Kano, where about 27 journalists from television, radio, print and digital media organisations participated.
The engagement, the first formal media session organised in Kano by the initiatives, was aimed at strengthening journalists’ understanding of Nigeria’s gas development agenda and promoting accurate reporting of developments and opportunities in the sector.
Speaking at the event, the Workstream Lead for Infrastructure and Demand at the Decade of Gas Secretariat, Mr Taofeek Balogun, said Nigeria’s proven gas reserves had increased from 208.83 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in 2023 to 215.19 TCF as of January 2026.
He also said average gas production increased from 6.86 billion cubic feet per day (BCF/D) to about 7.5 BCF/D, while domestic gas supply had exceeded 2 BCF/D.
According to him, about $3.5 billion in investments had been committed to four major gas projects, while the OB3 Gas Pipeline had reached 100 per cent completion and the AKK Gas Pipeline was approximately 95 per cent completed.
Balogun further disclosed that ₦671 billion in public infrastructure funding had attracted about ₦1.6 trillion in private investment into the sector.
On clean cooking, he said the government’s LPG programme was targeting five million households by 2030, with pilot activities launched in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states.
He added that distribution activities involving 27,000 LPG cylinders had commenced, alongside regional sensitisation programmes aimed at increasing public awareness and adoption of LPG.
Balogun also announced that Nigeria was targeting September 24, 2028, for the transition to a Willing Buyer, Willing Seller (WBWS) gas market framework, which he said would promote competition, transparency and commercial sustainability in the sector.
On compressed natural gas, the Chief Operating Officer of PI-CNG & EV, Mr Tosin Coker, said CNG remained important to the government’s efforts to reduce transportation costs, improve energy security and promote cleaner mobility.
Coker also addressed concerns over CNG safety, stressing the need for motorists to use certified conversion centres, approved equipment and comply with relevant regulations while ensuring proper vehicle maintenance.
He disclosed that 670 CNG buses had so far been deployed across the country, with 285 operating commercially in 13 states, while another 302 had been allocated to transport unions, students and government agencies.
He said the vehicle conversion programme had also focused significantly on commercial transport operators, enabling drivers to reduce fuel expenditure while extending the benefits of CNG to commuters.
According to him, hundreds of additional CNG buses and tricycles were currently on order as part of efforts to expand cleaner and more affordable public transportation.
He said participating routes under the National Affordable CNG Transition Programme (NACTP) had recorded fare reductions ranging between 15 and 50 per cent.
The initiative also disclosed plans to establish 127 additional CNG refuelling stations across 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of efforts to improve access to CNG nationwide.
Kano State, it said, had emerged as a strategic hub for clean mobility in Northern Nigeria, leading the North-West with seven operational CNG refuelling stations.
Seventeen additional stations are currently at various stages of completion in the state, while 25 additional CNG buses have been deployed to complement earlier commercial deployments.
The officials said the developments were expected to create opportunities for affordable transportation, investment and industrial growth along the northern gas corridor.
The media engagement also featured an interactive session during which journalists sought clarification on gas accessibility, affordability, safety, infrastructure development and the implementation of government policies in the sector.
Speaking on behalf of the participating journalists, Mr Murtala Adewale of The Guardian commended the organisers for the engagement, describing it as informative, educative and beneficial to media practitioners.
He called for more frequent capacity-building programmes, greater participation of journalists in future engagements and stronger collaboration between the media, industry stakeholders and regulatory agencies.
The Decade of Gas Secretariat and PI-CNG & EV reaffirmed their commitment to sustained media engagement, stakeholder collaboration and public enlightenment as Nigeria continues its drive towards a gas-powered economy.
