RismadarVoice Reporters
May 21, 2026
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) and President of the 2026 Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has called for a strategic balance between natural gas exports and domestic utilisation across Africa.
Ekpo made the call on Thursday while speaking at the 3rd GECF Africa Day Workshop in Doha, Qatar, held as part of activities marking the 63rd anniversary of Africa Day and the GECF’s Silver Jubilee.
He said the challenge of balancing gas exports with domestic consumption goes beyond energy policy, describing it as a broader development issue that requires deliberate planning and strong political will.
According to him, while gas exports remain important for revenue generation and access to global markets, African countries must ensure that such exports also drive domestic development through electricity generation, industrialisation, fertiliser production, clean cooking initiatives and job creation.
“Exports can provide revenues, scale, and investor confidence. Domestic utilisation can deliver the development multiplier. Together, they can turn natural gas from a source of fiscal income into a driver of structural transformation,” he said.
Ekpo warned that over-reliance on exports without corresponding domestic investment in infrastructure and capacity could leave African countries with persistent power shortages, weak industrial bases and limited job creation despite export earnings.
He stressed the need for stronger private sector participation and regional cooperation to achieve a sustainable energy transition across the continent.
The minister assured that the GECF would continue to support efforts aimed at balancing exports and domestic gas utilisation through evidence-based analysis, technical cooperation and knowledge sharing among member countries.
