Nigeria's move to develop its huge gas deposit was a step in the right direction, said Mohammed Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Monday.
"Gas is vital to Nigeria's future, as is oil, and both will be fuels of choice globally for the foreseeable future and instrumental in facilitating the energy transition," Barkindo told a pre-summit conference in Abuja on "The Decade Of Gas In Nigeria," a plan aimed at developing the industry in the country in the next 10 years.
The secretary-general said the gas development plan from 2021 to 2030 was likely to place Nigeria at the forefront of the vital global industry.
He told the audience that the country's Petroleum Industry Bill currently before the National Assembly was timely for the achievement of the decade of gas.
He said the global primary energy demand was set to increase by 25 percent in the period to 2045.
Barkindo said the world needs more energy, and Nigeria as a reliable and dependable supplier of hydrocarbons to global markets has a key role to play in this regard.
Editor: Leon