Dangote Group has strengthened its long-term energy security after securing expanded gas supply agreements with subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), a move expected to accelerate the growth of its refinery, fertiliser, and cement operations. The deals underline Nigeria’s broader ambition to position natural gas as a key driver of industrialisation, export growth, and foreign investment.
The agreements were signed during the Nigeria Gas Master Plan 2026 event held in Abuja, with Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Plant, and Dangote Cement Plc confirming new contracts with Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited and NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company. While the volume of gas covered was not disclosed, the partnerships are aimed at ensuring a stable and reliable supply for Dangote’s expanding industrial footprint.
The timing of the deals is significant as Nigeria intensifies efforts to unlock the economic value of its vast natural gas reserves. Heavy industries are facing rising energy demand, while policymakers are also under pressure to promote gas as a cleaner transition fuel capable of supporting economic growth without deepening environmental risks.
Launched recently, the Nigeria Gas Master Plan 2026 seeks to overhaul the country’s gas sector by expanding infrastructure, improving supply reliability, and attracting large-scale private investment. The plan targets an increase in national gas production to 10 billion cubic feet per day by 2027, up from about 8 billion cubic feet currently, with a further rise to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.
According to the federal government, meeting these targets could attract more than $60 billion in investment across the entire gas value chain. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the strategy represents a shift from policy design to concrete implementation, stressing that Nigeria’s long-standing challenge has been converting large reserves into dependable supply and real economic value.
NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, noted that the gas strategy is designed to boost production, optimise costs, and strengthen supply to strategic industrial users, while also enhancing Nigeria’s attractiveness to global investors.
For Dangote Group, Africa’s largest industrial conglomerate, the expanded gas agreements are critical to sustaining large-scale operations and supporting export ambitions. Backed by recent foreign exchange reforms and rising maritime exports, the Dangote Refinery is increasingly positioned to serve international markets, including the US and UK, reinforcing Nigeria’s emergence as a new force in global energy and trade flows.
