By Chinedu Okorie, African Business Correspondent
In a landmark step that aligns private enterprise with national energy ambitions, three subsidiaries of the Dangote Group have entered into enhanced gas supply agreements with units of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
The agreements, unveiled during the launch of Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan 2026 in Abuja, underscore a strategic push to leverage gas for industrial expansion and cleaner energy solutions. Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Plant, and Dangote Cement Plc signed strengthened contracts with Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited and NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company.
Although the precise supply volumes remain undisclosed, the deals are expected to support the conglomerate’s vast operational footprint and future growth trajectory.
Gas Master Plan 2026: Ambitious Targets
Nigeria’s newly launched Gas Master Plan sets bold objectives to reshape the nation’s energy landscape. The plan seeks to raise gas production from the current 8 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) to 10 bcf/d by 2027, and further to 12 bcf/d by 2030.
A central aim is to attract more than $60 billion in investments across the gas value chain—from upstream extraction to downstream distribution and utilization. The roadmap emphasizes infrastructure expansion, supply reliability, and positioning gas as a cornerstone for economic diversification and power generation.
From Policy to Execution
Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, highlighted that Nigeria’s challenge is no longer resource availability but the conversion of reserves into dependable supply and tangible economic value.
NNPC Ltd Group CEO, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, reinforced the plan’s focus on cost optimization, investment attraction, and ensuring reliable supply to major industrial players such as the Dangote Group.
The simultaneous unveiling of the Gas Master Plan and the signing of supply agreements reflects a symbiotic strategy: government provides the framework and infrastructure, while industrial giants secure the energy needed to drive Nigeria’s industrial and clean energy future.
