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Nigeria and the Canadian province of Alberta have advanced plans for closer cooperation in the gas sector, with both sides agreeing to pursue joint initiatives aimed at supporting energy transition, reducing emissions and developing technical capacity.
The commitment emerged from bilateral talks between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Alberta’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Brian Jean, held in Calgary, Canada yesterday. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration in natural gas development and exploring opportunities to leverage gas resources as countries seek to balance energy security with climate goals.
Ekpo said Nigeria remains committed to utilising its vast natural gas reserves, estimated at more than 215 trillion cubic feet, as a key driver of economic growth and industrial development while supporting the country’s transition to lower-carbon energy sources.
According to him, natural gas occupies a central position in Nigeria’s energy transition strategy and offers a practical pathway to expanding access to energy, stimulating investment and reducing reliance on more carbon-intensive fuels.
“Nigeria is positioning natural gas as the cornerstone of its energy transition and seeks strong global partnerships to advance cleaner production and emissions reduction,” Ekpo said during the discussions.
For Alberta, a major energy-producing region in Canada, the talks provided an opportunity to showcase progress in emissions management and low-carbon technologies.
Jean highlighted Alberta’s achievements in carbon capture and methane emissions reduction and expressed the province’s willingness to support Nigeria through technical cooperation, knowledge transfer and capacity-building programmes.
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Both parties identified several areas for future collaboration, including carbon capture technologies, methane emissions reduction initiatives, gas monetisation projects and human capital development.
The discussions also explored broader opportunities in petrochemicals and energy-based industrialisation, sectors regarded as critical to creating jobs, expanding exports and boosting economic competitiveness.
At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to establish a joint technical working group that will drive implementation of agreed areas of cooperation. They also resolved to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide a framework for future engagements.
The proposed partnership will include technical exchanges on carbon capture and emissions reduction, academic collaborations and training programmes designed to strengthen institutional and workforce capabilities in the energy sector.
Industry observers say the engagement reflects Nigeria’s growing push to attract international partnerships that can help unlock greater value from its gas resources while supporting global decarbonisation objectives.
Ekpo noted that the discussions align with the Federal Government’s broader agenda of leveraging gas as a catalyst for industrialisation, economic diversification and sustainable development.
He added that strategic partnerships with jurisdictions that have established expertise in emissions management and energy innovation would help Nigeria accelerate its energy transition ambitions while maximising the benefits of its abundant gas reserves.
