• NUPRC and NLNG are intensifying efforts to expand domestic gas supply in response to rising demand in Nigeria
• NLNG said 100 per cent of its LPG production is now dedicated to the domestic market due to growing local demand
• The commission says it is removing bottlenecks and improving ease of doing business in the upstream sector

Nigeria’s domestic gas market is expanding rapidly, prompting the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Nigeria LNG Limited to step up efforts to strengthen supply and meet rising demand.

As consumption of liquefied petroleum gas continues to grow across the country, NLNG says it now supplies all of its LPG output to the Nigerian market, reflecting a major shift in response to increasing local demand.

The Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the regulator is ramping up reforms aimed at supporting the Federal Government’s gas development agenda, with particular attention on boosting domestic utilisation.

Eyesan disclosed this while receiving the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited, Mr Adeleye Falade, during a courtesy visit to the commission, according to a statement issued on Saturday, May 2, by the Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu.

She described the visit as timely, noting that the commission had accelerated regulatory reforms since December to align more closely with the Petroleum Industry Act.

According to her, NUPRC is deliberately repositioning itself to eliminate bottlenecks and create a more business-friendly operating environment in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.

“We are deliberately repositioning the Commission as a business enabler. Through our monthly stakeholder engagements, we X-ray industry performance and resolve issues proactively to ensure they do not escalate,” she said.

Eyesan said the government’s increasing responsiveness to industry concerns had improved investor confidence and was already encouraging more final investment decisions across the sector.

On the government’s gas expansion strategy, she said the Decade of Gas initiative was already delivering measurable results, especially in improving domestic gas supply and utilisation.

“The Decade of Gas is not aspirational; it is a practical framework for expanding domestic utilisation while strengthening export capacity,” she stated.

She, however, urged operators to complement the government’s reform efforts with stronger performance, regulatory compliance and disciplined investment.

“As government continues to be responsive, operators must demonstrate reciprocity through performance, compliance, and investment discipline,” she added.

Speaking during the visit, NLNG Managing Director Adeleye Falade stressed the importance of stronger collaboration across the upstream value chain to sustain gas supply, particularly for the domestic market.

Falade said rising demand for cooking gas in Nigeria had significantly changed NLNG’s supply priorities, pushing the company to focus more on the local market than exports.

“Today, 100 per cent of our LPG production is dedicated to the domestic market, not due to reduced output, but because demand has expanded significantly,” he said.

He described the decision as a strategic intervention designed to deepen domestic gas penetration and ensure more stable supply across the country.

Falade also expressed confidence in the company’s future output growth, stating that the ongoing Train 7 project would significantly raise production capacity.

“Train 7, expected to come on stream next year, will increase our production capacity by about 35 per cent, positioning us to scale both domestic supply and export volumes,” he said.

The renewed push by both NUPRC and NLNG comes as the Federal Government continues to promote gas as a cleaner and more affordable energy source, with domestic consumption increasingly seen as a major growth driver for the sector.

Nigeria, Morocco advance ambitious $25bn gas pipeline across 13 countries

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigeria and Morocco set to sign a landmark intergovernmental agreement this year for the $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, a move expected to accelerate one of Africa’s most ambitious energy infrastructure initiatives.

Popularly known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, the project will stretch approximately 6,900 kilometres, combining offshore and onshore routes.

It is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually, with portions allocated for Morocco’s domestic use and exports to Europe.