Nigeria plans to tap into its vast natural gas resources to fuel the country’s ambitious 4,000-kilometre high-speed rail network, according to Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas).

Speaking at the International Railway Conference 2025 in Abuja, Ekpo said the planned 350 km/h rail system will not only transform travel but also serve as a catalyst for industrialisation, trade, and regional integration. The conference was organised by the Ministry of Transportation in partnership with De-Sadel Nigeria Limited.

The minister noted that despite Nigeria’s historic reliance on crude oil, the government is repositioning natural gas as the anchor of its long-term energy strategy under President Bola Tinubu’s “Decade of Gas Initiative.” Nigeria currently holds 210 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves, with an estimated potential of up to 600 trillion cubic feet.

“Railway infrastructure demands a sustainable and affordable power source,” Ekpo explained. “Our gas resources provide that solution—offering cleaner fuels for locomotives and reliable electricity for stations, urban centres, and industrial hubs linked by the network.”

According to him, natural gas can be converted into transport fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Gas-to-Liquids (GTL), enabling the rail sector to cut emissions while maintaining cost efficiency. He also highlighted opportunities for new gas-based industries—fertiliser plants, petrochemicals, methanol production, and compressed natural gas (CNG) hubs—along the railway corridors.

Ekpo said the integration of gas and rail would position Nigeria as a key industrial hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), boosting regional trade and investment.

“These projects are tied to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to create jobs, industrialise the economy, and lift millions out of poverty through sustainable infrastructure and energy development,” he added.