Natural gas production is approaching 12 billion cubic feet per day, according to the federal government.

The Federal Government has announced that gas production in Nigeria is increasing from 7.5 billion cubic feet per day and is approaching 12 billion cubic feet per day.

This information was shared by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, during a recent press conference in Lagos.

Ekpo emphasized that his primary objective in his second year of service is to enhance gas production and transform Nigeria into a gas-driven economy, aligning with the Decade of Gas initiative.

He stated, "Our goal for the Decade of Gas is to establish Nigeria as a gas economy by 2030, aiming to elevate production from 7.5 billion cubic feet to approximately 12 billion cubic feet. We are making strides in this direction to ensure gas sufficiency in the nation."

Despite concerns regarding the sustainability of gas production since the government designated gas as the transition fuel, the minister remains optimistic about increased output, particularly as some international oil companies shift their focus to deep-water operations.

"The sustainability plan focuses on maximizing gas production from our resources," Ekpo reassured the public.

He further noted, "Some IOCs are transitioning from shallow to deep water, where significant gas reserves exist. With President Bola Tinubu's commitment, we are confident in achieving sufficient gas supply to meet our objectives."

According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigeria's reserves of associated and non-associated gas total 209.26 trillion cubic feet.

Meanwhile, there are growing concerns among Nigerians regarding the rising price of cooking gas, which has surged to approximately N1,300 per kilogram from under N1,000 in June.