Former Minister of Power, and current Chairman of Geometric Power, Barth Nnaji, has expressed  regret that despite having over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, Nigeria continues to struggle with supplying enough fuel to its power plants.
Nnaji, who disclosed this at the just-concluded Orienta News Nigeria 2025 Conference in Lagos, expressed deep concern over what he described as “a national contradiction”, to be rich in natural gas, but still failing to meet domestic electricity generation needs.
“It’s quite perplexing. We are a gas-rich country, yet we struggle to supply enough gas to our power plants. It’s a contradiction that many find hard to understand”, he stated.
He noted that while the official domestic gas price for power generation was formerly pegged at $2.42 per million British thermal units, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) revised this down to $2.13/MMBtu effective April 1, 2025.
He, however, said generation companies often source gas from the open market at $2.70 and above, depending on supply constraints and contract terms.
“Because most electricity is generated using gas, and GenCos depend heavily on sourcing this gas from the open market, the disparity between the regulated and actual prices continues to strain the sector”, said.
The former Power Minister warned that the pricing gap is worsening liquidity challenges in the power sector, contributing significantly to the over N1tn electricity subsidy recorded in the first half of 2025 and the growing trillion-naira debt owed to GenCos by the Federal Government.
According to him, the gas-to-power benchmark being below market realities places an unsustainable burden on power producers.
He also emphasised the need for more cost-reflective electricity tariffs, explaining that the current pricing structure fails to cover the operational and maintenance costs of genCos, particularly as many critical inputs are imported.
According to him, “The energy charge component of the power tariff must be able to cover the cost of maintaining the assets. If operators can’t recover expenses for operations and maintenance, which are often dollar-denominated, there will be recurring system failures.
“The regulator must continue to adjust the tariff in line with actual industry costs to ensure sustainability.”
Nnaji further emphasised that Nigeria is not investing adequately in gas production and pipeline transportation infrastructure, calling for greater private sector involvement.
“Nigeria has all the capacity it needs. Government should remain an enabler, but the private sector must take the lead. If we don’t produce enough gas, even promising initiatives like CNG adoption will not take off”, he stated.
Nnaji noted that most gas-fired power plants in Nigeria suffer from erratic operations due to inconsistent gas pressure and supply, describing this as an unacceptable situation for a nation with abundant gas resources.
He argued that with sufficient gas supply, Nigeria could stabilise its economy and expand into industrial processing such as petrochemicals, creating a diversified energy ecosystem.
He stressed the need for enforceable Power Purchase Agreements and the resolution of issues like vandalism and operational disruptions that hinder gas supply and power offtake.
“Without a consistent gas supply and proper market design, we can’t expect PPAs to deliver”, he said.
On the future of Nigeria’s energy mix, Nnaji said while hydro and solar power have a role to play, gas-fired power plants will remain the dominant source of electricity for the next one to two decades.
“Hydro power has its limits in Nigeria due to seasonal variability and geopolitical concerns, particularly as it depends on stable relationships with northern communities and neighbouring countries”, he said.

The former President of the Nigeria Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke, has said that only a political will would make the 24-hour port operations achievable.
Nweke made the disclosure during the Fifth Town Hall meeting organised by JournalNG held in Lagos on Thursday.
“24 hour port operations is achievable if government would give a clear order to the effect.
“Government should get a regulatory agency to supervise port operations accurately for monitoring and evaluation.
“Once everyone knows what to do, operators will be guided. It will not be a situation where government issues port order without monitoring and no enforcement.
“So, we need a political will to drive our ports for 24-hour port operations in Nigeria”, Nweke said.
He said government agencies should see the transformation as a necessity, same as port stakeholders.
Nweke continued that collaboration and partnership among stakeholders would enable both government and port users achieve 24-hour port operations.
He said any identified bottlenecks delaying the achievement of 24 hours ports operations should be removed and sanctioned accordingly.
He noted that port communities are meant for commercial activities, adding that necessary infrastructure should be considered in the ports to avoid unnecessary human element.

Nweke urged government to improve on infrastructure to make the ports more attractive and friendly for customers.

Also in his presentation, the Chairman, Nigeria Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, said quest to actualise 24-hour port operations in Nigerian seaports was no longer aspirational but necessary.

He said with a carefully sequenced strategy anchored on technology, sustainability, and stakeholder alignment, Nigerian ports could be positioned as efficient, secure, and economically transformative assets.

As Chairman of NPCC, he reaffirmed commitment to this vision by inviting all stakeholders-MDAS, port terminal operators, energy providers, transport unions, and investors to join in executing this transformation.

The Assistant Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Abass Oladepo, said Customs had been operating 24 hours port operations.

He said at Ports and Terminal Multi Services Ltd. (PTML) command the Customs had commenced 2-hour cargo clearance, adding that averagely in one-year the Command had achieved less than 6-hour ports clearance.

The town hall meeting was to sensitise stakeholders on Customs transformation known as B’Odogwu and urge importers to engage in honest declaration to enable them achieve few minutes cargo clearance.

In his contribution, the Managing Director, ENL Consortium, one of the terminal operators, Mr. Mark Walsh, urged Nigeria banks attached to ports cargo clearance operations to improve their operation to avoid delays in payments.

He commended the Federal Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority for modernising the ports, adding that there was need for 24-hour lighting at the ports, to stop them from running generators 24/7.

He noted that ports operation needs more lighting, especially for security during the night operations.

The General Manager, Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), Mr. Ahmed Ogunsola, urged stakeholders to collaborate and point out challenges hampering 24 hour port operations to provide solutions.

Ogunsola said TMP worked with the NCS to enhance cargo clearance by providing technology backbone, building capacity and to enhance sustainability.

He said 24 hour port operations was achievable with the collaboration of port users.

“The TMP had agreement with the Federal Government to provide 67 scanners and presently we have successfully brought five scanners into the country to modernise Nigeria Customs Service and facilitate trade”, Ogunsola said.

In his opening remarks, the Publisher, JournalNG magazine, Mr. Ismail Aniemu, said the forum gave the stakeholders opportunity to interact and come with recommendations to guide government in policy making.

Aniemu said many ports in Nigeria need to turn to smart ports, adding that Nigeria had competent expertise that would assist government to actualise the dream.

He said some of the port users were operating 24 hours and there was need fornit to be sustained collectively.

Local rice merchants, under the aegis of Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors of Nigeria (RMIDN) have expressed displeasure over the upsurge in the smuggling of rice into the country through neighbouring Cotonou, Benin Republic.
According to RMIDN, Nigeria has lost an estimated N60 billion as a result of rice smuggling.
“Mostly Indian and Thailand rice that are imported into Cotonou find their way into Nigeria illegally with Western Creeks serving as gateway to the highest degree of these illicit imports”, RMIDN said.
Speaking exclusively with The Tide in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Bayuf Farm limited, Chief Kabiru Idowu, noted the large scale concealment in trucks purportedly laden with dutiable goods to the fleet of vehicles under the cover of darkness, saying “Western Marine Creeks, is indeed a place to watch, if the economy of the nation must be protected”.
According to him, “the volume of imports for which revenue is lost on the part of the government may far outweigh the generated revenue and create an adverse affect on government policy to encourage local production of some products.
“It would also be recalled that in December, 2024, the Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Compt. Kola Oladeji, disclosed to journalists at a briefing in the Command that smuggling of rice through the Western Creeks is on the increase, thereby placing a question mark on the proficiency of the Marine Command of the Customs.
According to him, the areas of water which flows into the land  accounts for a higher degree of rice smuggling, adding that there is inlet through water behind Alaba market where smugglers are coming, with various items but with rice topping the lists.
Also, Mr. Tapenu Michael noted that importers of Nigeria bound goods through the Cotonou Port see the western waterways as most viable entry point either for evasion or concealment of prohibited items.
He emphasized that most items that fall under Federal Government import prohibition list or statutory barred from entering the country through land borders find their ways through the creeks.