Business Day: Gas resource can turn Nigeria into geopolitical heavyweight

Russia’s recent $400 billion gas deal with China highlights how gas is increasingly becoming a tool for countries wishing to be geopolitical heavyweights.

Analysts say that Nigeria is currently punching below its weight as a major gas power in Africa, as its huge gas resources continue to remain mostly dormant.

Even as the first gas from Ghana’s Jubilee field is expected to come on stream by the end of 2014, Nigeria’s gas will still remain critical to the West Africa sub-region’s gas integration initiative, analysts say.

Nigeria can play a similar role in Africa that Russia has played in Europe,or Qatar to the energy hungry Asian countries, by being a source of cheap reliable gas which helps build a more prosperous sub-region and increases trade and exports to the benefit of the country.
MORE