Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) expects its Train 7 expansion project to increase the country’s cooking gas capacity by 50 percent once fully operational.
The project is designed to expand the company’s total liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 30 mtpa.
Because liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly used as cooking gas, is a primary byproduct of the LNG production process, the increase in overall plant capacity will directly boost the volume of LPG available for the domestic market.
The development comes as Nigeria seeks to address a persistent gap between its vast natural gas reserves and the actual availability of affordable cooking fuel for its population.
Despite being one of the world’s largest gas producers, Nigeria continues to import a significant portion of its LPG requirements to meet domestic demand, putting pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
The Nigeria LNG Limited initiative is central to the federal government’s broader strategy to transition the economy toward gas-based energy, often referred to as the “Decade of Gas” policy.
Impact on Nigeria’s LPG Import Dependence
The current reliance on imported cooking gas exposes Nigerian consumers to global price volatility and shipping disruptions. By increasing domestic production through Train 7, the company aims to stabilise supply and potentially lower costs for households and small businesses.
Industry analysts suggest that a 50 percent increase in capacity could materially reduce the volume of LPG sourced from international markets, providing a buffer against the currency devaluation that typically drives up the price of imported fuel.
The expansion is not only a matter of volume but also of strategic energy security. Increased domestic availability of LPG supports the government’s objective of reducing reliance on biomass and charcoal, which contributes to deforestation and respiratory health issues in rural areas.
The project’s implementation is being monitored by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure alignment with national energy goals.
Investment in the project represents one of the largest capital expenditures in the Nigerian energy sector in recent years, involving complex engineering and international financing structures.
The expansion requires a corresponding increase in feed-gas supply from the upstream sector. This necessitates tighter collaboration between NLNG and its joint venture partners to ensure that gas delivery agreements are met without disruptions.
Reporting by BusinessDay indicates that the project is progressing toward completion, though the timing of the full capacity ramp-up remains subject to final commissioning phases.
Once the additional capacity is online, the focus will shift toward the midstream infrastructure required to distribute the increased LPG volume from Bonny Island to the various regional depots across Nigeria.
The next critical phase involves the final testing of the new production trains and the formal handover for full commercial operations, which will determine the exact date the increased gas volumes hit the domestic market.
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