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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has identified infrastructure gaps and high financing costs as some of the challenges bedeviling the oil and gas sector.
Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpo Ekpo who stated this at the 2026 journal summit held yesterday in Abuja, and organized by the Petroleum Technology and Development Fund (PTDF), pointed out that snags should be addressed to tackle some of the challenges in the sector.
Ekpo said the federal government was committed to creating an enabling environment for private sector investment across the petroleum value chain.
The minister stressed that the Petroleum Industry Act provides an important framework for improving regulatory certainty, strengthening institutional governance and encouraging investment in the midstream and downstream sectors.
In the gas sector, he said the government recognizes private capital, technical expertise and interoperational innovation as indispensable to unlocking the full value of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources.
“Through the Decade of Gas initiative, we are pursuing a clear vision of gas transformation in Nigeria into a gas-powered industrial economy, with natural gas serving as a catalyst for industrialization, job creation, energy security and economic diversification.
“Realizing this ambition requires sustainable investment in gas processing, transportation and distribution infrastructure, as well as in liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas, petrochemical and gas-based industries.
“The federal government cannot achieve this objective alone. We must continue to deepen collaboration with private investors, financial institutions, technology providers and other stakeholders to mobilize the capital and expertise required to deliver these projects. Ladies and gentlemen, while the prospects are considerable, we must also acknowledge the challenges confronting private sector participation.
“These include infrastructure gaps, high financing costs, project development risks, regulatory bottlenecks and the need for greater access to reliable energy infrastructure. Addressing these constraints requires sustained policy consistency, efficient regulatory processes, improved security of critical infrastructure and innovative financing mechanisms.
“Equally important is the development of indigenous technological capacity, local manufacturing and a skilled workforce capable of supporting the growth of the petroleum industry,” he said.
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Also, Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology and Development Fund (PTDF), Professor Shauibu Shehu Aliyu, said for Nigeria to fully realize enormous opportunities in the petroleum sector, the country would need investment and infrastructure, the right policies, technical capacity, technology, research, and effective collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
He said: “He is also confronted with challenges related to financing, infrastructure, regulatory certainty, access to technology, market efficiency, and technical capacity, all of which require open and constructive discussion.”
“To fully realize these opportunities, we need not only investment and infrastructure but also the right policies, technical capacity, technology, research, and effective collaboration among government, industry, and academia.”
He stressed that the growing involvement of private investors in refining, gas processing, logistics, storage, and the distribution of petroleum products present substantial opportunities for economic growth, job creation, technology development, and building local capacity.
Regarding the Petroleum Technology Development Journal (PTDJ), he said the journal serves as one of the key avenues through which PTDF advances its mandate in research, technology development, and human-capital development.
According to him, the Journal provides a platform for disseminating research findings, technical innovations, industry experiences, and professional knowledge across the petroleum value chain.
“As a peer-reviewed, open-access publication, it connects researchers, academic world, industry professionals, and policymakers with new paradigms that translate knowledge into innovation, industry practice, and evidence-based policy.
“Thus, the PTDJ complements PTDF’s research and innovation programs by offering a credible means to document and disseminate knowledge.
“The Summit extends this role further by transforming ideas beyond the pages of the Journal into dialogue, collaboration, and practical solutions for the industry.
“The growing involvement of private investors in refining, gas processing, logistics, storage, and the distribution of petroleum products present substantial opportunities for economic growth, job creation, technology development, and building local capacity.
