Nigeria has recorded another milestone in the global energy sector, becoming the first member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to be admitted as an associate country of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperipe Ekpo, announced the development on Tuesday while speaking at the NOG Energy Week 2026 conference in Abuja.
According to the minister, the IEA officially admitted Nigeria as its newest associate country on July 2, 2026. The achievement also makes Nigeria the sixth African country to attain associate membership in the agency.
Ekpo described the development as a strategic milestone that places Nigeria at the centre of global energy conversations, enabling the country to champion a balanced energy transition while protecting the interests of developing nations seeking to harness their natural gas resources responsibly.
The minister further disclosed that Nigeria has assumed the presidency of the 2026 Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Ministerial Meeting, while Nigeria’s Philip Mshelbila was elected Secretary-General of the forum.
He noted that the two developments underscore the growing confidence of the international community in Nigeria’s technical expertise, policy direction, and leadership within the global gas industry.
Speaking on the Federal Government’s energy strategy, Ekpo said the administration remains committed to transforming natural gas from an export commodity into a major catalyst for economic growth through the Decade of Gas initiative.
He explained that the government’s focus is on expanding domestic gas utilisation to power industries, support fertiliser and petrochemical production, improve commercial transportation, and provide cleaner cooking solutions for millions of Nigerian households.
According to the minister, increasing local gas consumption will create jobs, boost industrial productivity, reduce import dependence, and improve the standard of living, while strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of Nigeria’s economy.
