The $5 billion Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Train 7 project has achieved 92 per cent completion, marking a major step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to expand gas production capacity and strengthen local participation in the oil and gas industry.
Officials disclosed that the project has now entered the systems completion and pre-commissioning phase ahead of full operations. Once completed, Train 7 is expected to increase NLNG’s production output from 22 million tonnes per annum to 30 million tonnes annually.
Speaking at the 2026 Nigerian Oil and Gas Midstream and Downstream Summit in Lagos, NLNG Project Director Ali Uwais said the project continued to progress despite earlier delays and challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained that the project moved ahead after shareholders, including Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Shell, TotalEnergies, and Eni approved the Final Investment Decision in 2019.
According to Uwais, the project has also played a significant role in boosting local content development, with Nigerian companies supplying structural steel, cables, and fabrication services for the project. He added that several indigenous firms benefited from investments in manufacturing and industrial infrastructure during the execution phase.
The project reportedly employed more than 13,000 Nigerians at peak construction while also providing technical training in areas such as welding, scaffolding, and electrical works.
Uwais noted that Train 7 achieved over 130 million safe man-hours with only two lost-time injuries recorded throughout the construction process.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board revealed that local participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has grown significantly since the introduction of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act in 2010.
The agency stated that the number of operating companies in the upstream sector increased from fewer than 10 to 117, while service companies expanded to over 11,000, creating thousands of jobs across the industry.
Officials at the summit also highlighted the growing investments in gas infrastructure, refining, petrochemicals, and local manufacturing, describing the sector as a major driver of Nigeria’s industrial growth and energy ambitions.
