Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has congratulated President Bola Tinubu for his role in the emergence of Nigeria’s candidate, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, as the new Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

The national oil company described it as a historic moment for Nigeria and a testimony to the federal government’s gas agenda aimed at utilising natural gas as a major fuel for industrial growth and economic development. Mshelbila, who was elected at the Forum’s 27th Ministerial Meeting held in Doha, Qatar,  succeeds Algeria’s Mohamed Hamel as the 5th scribe of the global organisation, which has been a leading voice in positioning natural gas as a cornerstone of global sustainable development.

A statement by the NNPC quoted its Group Chief Executive Officer,  Bayo Ojulari as saying that: “NNPC Ltd. is proud of what Mshelbila has achieved at Nigeria LNG, where he has worked tirelessly to transform Nigeria’s vast gas reserves into export-grade LNG, LPG, and condensates, serving domestic needs and global markets in the process.”

He also congratulated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, on his emergence as president of the 2026 GECF ministerial meeting, saying the minister has been at the forefront of championing efforts to harness Nigeria’s abundant gas resources for industrialisation and economic development.