The International Energy Agency (IEA) has reaffirmed that Nigeria’s abundant gas resources could play a critical role in closing Africa’s energy access deficit, where nearly 600 million people remain without electricity.
The agency highlighted this during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), aimed at strengthening collaboration on data integrity, energy transition, investment climate, and upstream sector governance. The IEA noted that even if Africa fully exploits its gas reserves, global emissions would increase by only 0.5%, illustrating the continent’s minimal climate impact and its right to develop energy resources.
The agency commended NUPRC for integrating decarbonisation requirements into upstream project approvals and embedding green strategies into Field Development Plans (FDPs), aligning with global expectations for low-carbon investment.
IEA further expressed readiness to provide Nigeria with access to select market intelligence tools such as the Monthly Oil Market Report, host joint workshops on gas monetisation and Africa’s energy transition, expand technical-level data exchanges with NUPRC experts, and support Nigeria’s participation in high-level international energy forums.
Speaking on behalf of NUPRC, Commission Chief Executive Engr. Gbenga Komolafe reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to transparent regulation, investor confidence, and sustainable development under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. He emphasised that NUPRC will maintain an open-door policy to ensure continuous engagement with the IEA and other development partners, positioning Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s energy transition and upstream investment growth.
