Tinubu Urges NLNG To Turn Gas Flaring Into Economic Benefit For Nigerians

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the management of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited to do everything within its powers to ensure Nigeria derives maximum economic benefits from its gas reserves instead of allowing the resources to be flared.

Tinubu made the call on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the State House, Abuja, when he received members of the NLNG Board led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Adeleye Falade.

The President said his major concern was the domestic utilisation of Nigeria’s gas resources, particularly the need to eliminate gas flaring and transform what could constitute an environmental liability into a strategic and economic benefit for Nigerians.

“My major concern is the domestic utilisation, where you must be able to take out the flaring and convert potential environmental liability to what could be strategically and economically beneficial to the consumers in the country,” Tinubu said.

While commending NLNG for increasing its capacity and maximising returns on investment, the President urged the company to ensure that Nigerians also benefit directly from the country’s energy resources.

He acknowledged the importance of NLNG taking advantage of international demand for Nigerian gas to increase revenue, but stressed the need to balance that with domestic benefits.

“Yes, you are doing great to really want the revenue up and taking advantage of international interests so that Nigeria might be deriving benefits, but help us back home,” he said.

Tinubu assured the NLNG team that his administration would continue to provide incentives where necessary to enable the company maximise its potential and expand its capacity for the benefit of Nigerians.

“I enjoy the teamwork and the way the NLNG is going, and you all, as team leaders, are giving value to what was the initial objective of the company. If any other incentive is needed to stimulate growth and expand your capacity, I will be willing to do that,” the President said.

He said Nigeria must look beyond its immediate resources and ensure that the country’s assets were developed and brought into productive use to support the economy and improve the lives of citizens.

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“We look straight far into the future, and I believe that this country has what it takes; but whatever asset that we have in the ground is nothing unless it’s brought up to service the economy, the people, and realisation of a good return on investment,” he said.

The President further emphasised the importance of considering the needs of Nigerians in the development of the country’s energy resources, including the domestication of energy requirements and appropriate pricing mechanisms.

“I think that is the primary focus. But think of people, the need for domestication of some of these energy requirements and pricing mechanisms so that the ordinary man will feel it,” he added.

Earlier, the NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Adeleye Falade, said the company’s board was at the State House to brief the President on its operations since the current management assumed office in April.

Falade disclosed that NLNG had generated more than $150 billion since its inception, with its shareholders, including the Nigerian government, receiving about $47 billion in dividends.

Nigeria holds a 49 per cent stake in NLNG.

According to Falade, the company had previously been operating at about 60 per cent capacity because Nigeria was unable to produce crude oil at optimal levels, resulting in only four of the six available production trains being utilised.

He, however, said increased oil production resulting from positive developments in the oil and gas sector had enabled NLNG to increase its operations to five trains, with further improvements expected.

The NLNG chief executive also disclosed that all Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, produced by the company is currently concentrated on the domestic market.

Falade said NLNG was keen to inaugurate Train Seven, which is expected to increase the company’s production capacity by 35 per cent.

He added that Nigeria LNG currently accounts for five per cent of the global LNG market.

The NLNG boss also told President Tinubu that shareholders had commended the stability in Nigeria’s fiscal environment, noting that the development was helping to attract more investments into the country’s oil and gas sector.

He also commended security agencies and regulators in the industry for contributing to the stability currently being experienced in the sector.

Falade further informed the President that the Bonny-Bodo Road and Bridge project, financed by NLNG, had been completed and was awaiting official commissioning.

Other members of the NLNG delegation at the meeting included the Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu; Board Director, Managing Director and Country Chair of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Matthieu Bouyer; Board Director, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Nigeria Agip Exploration, Maurizio Pinna; and General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall.

Also present were the Manager, Government Relations and Regulatory Compliance, Abdul Umar; Head, Government Relations, Tonbrafa Nanaghan; and Senior Government Relations Advisor, Rufai Mohammed Lawal.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, Yasmin Mohammed.