Gas
Nigeria and France target deeper energy and gas cooperation
Bilateral discussions during French Week focused on expanding gas infrastructure, local content development, and energy transition investments.
Key points
- Bilateral trade between Nigeria and France reached approximately $4.7 billion in 2025.
- Nigeria LNG Train 7 is nearing completion and will lift output to 30 million tonnes per annum.
- Stakeholders highlighted the need for stable investment frameworks to unlock domestic gas potential.
What happened
Representing officials and energy executives from Nigeria and France met at a roundtable event organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the 2026 French Week, according to MSME Africa. Discussions centered on expanding commercial partnerships, technology transfer, and local participation across the oil and gas value chain.
Matthieu Bouyer, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Nigeria, noted that more than 100 French firms currently operate in the country. He reported that bilateral commerce between the two nations touched approximately $4.7 billion in 2025. TotalEnergies is advancing its $550 million Ubeta gas project alongside NNPC Limited, with initial production anticipated in 2027.
Gas expansion and industrial goals
Adeleye Falade, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), stated that the nation holds proven natural gas reserves of roughly 215 trillion cubic feet, with broader resource estimates reaching 600 trillion cubic feet. Falade explained that gas remains essential for domestic industrialisation, power generation, and export revenues.
Progress on the NLNG Train 7 expansion continues to advance. Engineering work has reached 99.5 percent completion, procurement stands at 99.8 percent, and construction has achieved approximately 94 percent. Slated to begin operations toward the end of 2027, the initiative will increase production capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum to roughly 30 million tonnes per annum.
The project has maintained high domestic participation, achieving about 95 percent local content and employing around 16,000 workers during construction. Additionally, NLNG has directed its entire liquefied petroleum gas output toward the domestic market since 2022 to support clean cooking initiatives.
Laurent Favier, the Consul-General of France in Lagos, observed that industrial growth requires addressing persistent power supply deficits. He cited 2025 figures showing national crude oil and condensate output averaging 1.77 million barrels per day, alongside gas supplies of 7.2 billion standard cubic feet daily.
Why it matters
Strengthening bilateral energy ties is critical for addressing Nigeria's severe infrastructure deficits and diversifying its economic base. World Bank figures indicate that Nigeria's electricity access stood at 62.5 percent in 2024, leaving a significant portion of the population without reliable power. Furthermore, clean cooking access was recorded at just 28 percent in 2024, contributing to high rates of household air pollution.
For energy investors and policymakers, expanding domestic gas utilisation through projects like Train 7 and the Ubeta development offers a viable pathway to displace traditional biomass fuels and fuel industrial expansion. With fuel exports accounting for 85.9 percent of merchandise exports in 2025 according to World Bank data, attracting foreign capital and technology transfer from partners such as France remains vital for broadening Nigeria's economic resilience.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
2.9% of electricity in France came from gas in 2025Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
