The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mr Bayo Ojulari, has called for unified gas pricing and stronger joint investments among African nations to unlock the continent’s vast gas resources.
Speaking during a fireside chat with the Deputy Chair of Ørsted and President of the Energy Institute, Andy Brown, at the 2026 International Energy Week in London, Ojulari described the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline as a cornerstone project capable of reshaping Africa’s energy future.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Andy Odeh, Ojulari stressed that shared infrastructure and policy alignment across African countries are essential to driving industrial growth and expanding cross-border energy trade.
He noted that the speedy execution of flagship regional projects, particularly the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline would significantly deepen regional integration and improve energy access across participating countries.
According to him, cross-border gas infrastructure remains central to Africa’s industrialisation agenda, as shared assets would enhance efficiency, build resilience and unlock economies of scale.
The Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline, a major transcontinental initiative, is designed to transport Nigerian gas along the West African coastline to North Africa and potentially into European markets. When completed, the project is expected to boost electricity generation, stimulate industrial development and strengthen energy security across several African nations.
Ojulari said Nigeria is positioning the pipeline not merely as a bilateral arrangement but as a continental integration corridor capable of transforming Africa’s energy landscape.
Beyond infrastructure development, the NNPC boss emphasised the need for harmonised regulatory and pricing frameworks to reduce investment bottlenecks across the continent.
He urged African countries to align gas pricing structures, transit protocols, local content requirements and technical standards, noting that policy inconsistencies and fragmented fiscal regimes have slowed the delivery of major regional energy projects.
Drawing lessons from Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act, Ojulari said transparent and investor-friendly reforms are critical to safeguarding cross-border infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to shared energy assets.
He further advocated the creation of structured joint investment platforms among African National Oil Companies, arguing that collective action would improve capital mobilisation and strengthen the continent’s bargaining power in global energy markets.
“Africa can attract and deploy capital more effectively when acting collectively rather than individually,” he said, adding that coordinated investment frameworks, cross-border knowledge exchange and sustained regional diplomacy are vital to securing the continent’s energy future.
On NNPC’s broader ambitions, Ojulari said the company remains focused on increasing oil output, expanding gas production and attracting fresh investments through what he described as a pragmatic, Africa-focused strategy.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability and align with global decarbonisation goals while ensuring Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” he said.
Nigeria currently holds Africa’s largest proven gas reserves, estimated at over 200 trillion cubic feet. However, domestic utilisation remains below its full potential. The Federal Government has repeatedly identified gas as a transition fuel that can power industries, support fertiliser and petrochemical production and reduce dependence on imported fuels.
The Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline forms part of Nigeria’s broader “Decade of Gas” initiative aimed at maximising gas resources while supporting lower-carbon energy development.
Industry observers say the success of such mega-projects will ultimately depend on sustained diplomacy, regulatory stability and credible financing structures across participating countries, especially as global capital becomes more selective amid energy transition pressures.
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