LAGOS EYE NEWS – The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing Nigeria’s latest global energy milestone following the election of Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), as the new Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

Dr. Mshelbila’s election, announced during the 27th GECF Ministerial Meeting held in Doha, Qatar, positions him as the fifth Secretary General of the influential global gas coalition.

He succeeds Algeria’s Mohamed Hamel. The appointment is being celebrated across the industry as a major diplomatic and strategic win that further strengthens Nigeria’s role in shaping the future of the global natural gas market.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, lauded Dr. Mshelbila’s contribution to transforming Nigeria’s vast gas reserves into economic value through the expansion of LNG, LPG, and condensate exports, while also supporting domestic energy growth.

“With this achievement, Dr. Philip Mshelbila has permanently stamped Nigeria’s name on the global energy map,” Ojulari stated. “It is clear evidence that President Tinubu’s gas-to-prosperity agenda—driving industrial growth, energy security, and economic transformation—is yielding tangible results.”

Ojulari further expressed optimism that Dr. Mshelbila’s leadership at the GECF will accelerate Africa’s collective effort to position natural gas as the continent’s anchor for sustainable development.

NNPC Ltd. also congratulated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, on his emergence as President of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting, acknowledging his commitment to unlocking Nigeria’s gas-powered industrialisation potential.

The GECF, representing the world’s leading gas-exporting nations, serves as a strategic platform fostering global energy cooperation, market stability, and shared intelligence.

Collectively, member countries of the GECF account for: 69% of global proven natural gas reserves, 39% of marketed production, 40% of global gas exports, 51% of worldwide LNG exports.