ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to intensify efforts to curb gas flaring and convert the country’s gas resources into greater economic benefits for Nigerians.


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


The President said Nigeria must move beyond exporting its natural resources and place greater emphasis on domestic utilisation, particularly by reducing gas flaring and making energy resources available to consumers at affordable prices.


“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.


He commended the NLNG management for increasing the company’s operational capacity and improving returns on investment, while assuring the board of his administration’s readiness to provide incentives that would support further expansion.


According to the President, Nigeria’s natural resources would have little value unless they are effectively harnessed to serve the economy and improve the welfare of citizens.


He also stressed the need for greater domestication of energy resources and pricing mechanisms that would enable ordinary Nigerians to benefit from the country’s vast gas reserves.


NLNG Generates Over $150bn Since Inception


Speaking during the meeting, NLNG Managing Director and CEO, Adeleye Falade, said the company had generated more than $150 billion since its establishment, with shareholders, including the Nigerian government, receiving about $47 billion in dividends.


Nigeria currently holds a 49 per cent stake in NLNG.


Falade explained that the company had previously operated at about 60 per cent capacity due to inadequate crude oil production, which limited operations to four of its six available production trains.


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


The NLNG boss disclosed that all of the company’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, is currently dedicated to the domestic market.


He also said the company was preparing to inaugurate Train Seven, a project expected to increase NLNG’s capacity by about 35 per cent.


According to him, Nigeria LNG currently accounts for about five per cent of the global LNG market.


Fiscal Stability Attracting Investment


Falade said NLNG shareholders had commended the stability in Nigeria’s fiscal environment, describing it as a factor contributing to increased investor confidence in the oil and gas sector.


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


The NLNG chief further disclosed that the Bonny-Bodo Road and Bridge project, financed by NLNG, had been completed and was awaiting official commissioning.


The project is expected to improve connectivity and economic activities in the Bonny area of Rivers State.


The NLNG delegation included Deputy Managing Director Olakunle Osobu; Board Director and Managing Director 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.


Other officials present were Manager, Government Relations and Regulatory Compliance, Abdul Umar; Head, Government Relations, Tonbrafa Nanaghan; and Senior Government Relations Adviser, Rufai Mohammed Lawal.


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, also attended the meeting.