Nigeria’s gas exports rise 12% to 101.913bn cf worth N482.2bn

By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor & Mariam Eko

Nigeria’s gas export has risen month-on-month by 12 percent in December 2025 to 101.913 billion standard cubic feet, scf from 90.689 billion scf in November 2025.

The December 2025 export is worth about $344.466 billion, amounting to N482.252 billion at the current exchange rate of N1,400/$.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, disclosed this in its latest gas production data obtained by Vanguard.

According to the data, the nation’s total gas export stood at 942.743 billion scf in 2025 while the nation’s total domestic sales stood at 780.615 billion scf, indicating an excess of 162.128 billion scf or 20.7 percent of the nation’s export over domestic supplies.

Also, the data showed that the 101.913 bn scf exported in December was the highest while 65.732 billion scf exported in August was the least in 2025.

Similarly, the data also showed that 72.966 billion scf recorded in May was the highest domestic sales while the least domestic supplies of 56.085 billion scf was recorded in December 2025.

Analysts said the increased gas exports illustrates Nigeria’s capacity to explore, produce and export commercial gas for domestic use and export to the international market.

Reacting in an interview with Vanguard, the National President of Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, Mazi Colman Obasi, said: “This shows that Nigeria has the capacity to produce commercial gas for the domestic and foreign markets. There is a great need for us to priotise gas development in order to not only generate revenue but also enhance the nation’s energy security now and in the future.”

Similarly, Prof. Wumi Iledare, a Petroleum Economist, said: “Nigeria’s gas export growth in December 2025—up 12 percent month-on-month to about 102 Bscf and valued at roughly $344 million—confirms natural gas as an important foreign exchange earner. In an FX-constrained economy, any inflow that strengthens external reserves is clearly valuable.

“However, the policy issue is not whether gas exports are good, but whether export-led gas development should dominate Nigeria’s gas strategy. Developing gas mainly for export, while domestic gas-to-power and gas-to-industry remain constrained, may deliver short-term FX gains but weakens long-term economic output.

“Nigeria’s gas policy framework is already clear. The 2017 National Gas Policy and the PIA anchor gas development on three pillars: industrialisation, gas-to-power, and gas exports. These objectives are complementary and must be balanced. Exports should add value—not crowd out domestic gas utilization.

“Powering the economy, expanding industrial capacity, and lowering production costs create multiplier effects that far exceed the benefits of export receipts alone. The true measure of gas success is not volumes exported or dollars earned, but how much domestic economic activity gas enables.

“For the sake of posterity, Nigeria must avoid allowing gas policy to be driven solely by foreign exchange desperation. Balanced gas development remains the most sustainable and economically sound path.”

On its part, in its 2026 Outlook, the African Energy Chamber, AEC, stated: “Africa holds large gas recoverable volumes in Rovuma basin (129 Tcf) and Niger Delta (113 Tcf) but most of these volumes remain undeveloped.

In terms of discovered undeveloped gas resources Africa ranks the second in the world.

“Potential roadblocks remain however around monetising and industrialisation, with LNG offering one route to development that has the potential to bolster local industrialisation where domestic market obligations are in place.”

Domestic gas to power also offers a means to support energy access and economic growth, albeit diesel to gas switching will be more gradual where generation facilities are remote and small in scale.”

It also said: “African governments are progressing long-awaited regulations for the gas value chain to facilitate domestic industrialisation and power access and to meet international demands for diversified supply sources. IOCs remain wary of developing even the largest gas discoveries unless terms are favourable, particularly for domestic supply.

“While pioneering projects such as Congo Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) have launched successfully, others in Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania have been stalled by wrangling over commercial terms and offtake deals.”

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