The Association of Local Distributors of Gas (ALDG) is set to hold the maiden edition of its 2025 Business Forum on Tuesday, June 3, at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Building in Abuja. The forum is designed to promote open dialogue and collaboration around the theme, “Strengthening Nigeria’s Gas Distribution Value Chain: Challenges, Innovations, and the Path Forward.”
This high-level event will bring together top government officials, industry regulators, private investors, and gas distribution operators to deliberate on the current state and future direction of Nigeria’s domestic gas sector. Organisers say the forum will provide a platform for participants to address the sector’s challenges, explore innovative solutions, and align efforts with the country’s energy transition goals.
Some of the major sponsors of the forum include leading industry players such as Axxela, Shell Nigeria Gas, Falcon Corporation, Entec Power, Tetracore Energy, Gascomarine, Highland LNG, A4E Energy, Junaid Energy, and the PTDF. These organisations are expected to share insights from their respective operations and highlight their contributions to Nigeria’s gas value chain development.
Key government dignitaries expected to grace the event include the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo; the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed; Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Ms. Olu Verheijen; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Bashir Ojulari.
Also billed to speak are top executives from both the public and private sectors, such as the Deputy Managing Director of Falcon Corporation, Audrey Joe-Ezigbo; Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas, Ralph Gbogbo; Managing Director of Greenville LNG, Ritu Sahajwalla; President of the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), Akachukwu Nwokedi; and CEO of Tetracore Energy, Olakunle Williams. These speakers will lead sessions and panel discussions that focus on innovation, policy reforms, financing, and technology in gas distribution.
Speaking on the significance of the forum, Chairman of ALDG and Managing Director of Gas Distribution at Axxela, Mr. Kehinde Alabi, described the event as a defining moment for Nigeria’s gas distribution landscape. He stated that the timing of the event is particularly important as the country deepens its energy transition efforts and seeks to shift from petroleum dependency to cleaner, gas-based solutions.
“This forum is a rare opportunity to bring everyone to the table—from government agencies to private investors—to speak honestly about what’s working and what isn’t in Nigeria’s gas distribution system,” Mr. Alabi said. “We want to drive real conversations that lead to actionable steps and policy reforms that will support investment and growth.”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of ALDG, Mr. Oga Adejo-Ogiri, said the forum comes at a critical time for the gas industry and provides a timely intervention to push long-overdue conversations forward. He called on all stakeholders to come with open minds and a willingness to work together.
“This is not just a talk shop. It’s a platform to align the vision of stakeholders on how we build a sustainable gas economy. With the right policies, private sector support, and infrastructure, Nigeria can harness the full value of its abundant gas reserves,” he noted.
The ALDG Business Forum is expected to explore a wide range of issues, including infrastructure deficits, regulatory bottlenecks, fluctuating pricing models, investment challenges, and limited access to financing for gas distribution projects. Innovations such as virtual pipelines, small-scale LNG, autogas solutions, smart metering, and integrated gas-to-power systems will also be discussed as possible game-changers.
Industry stakeholders are optimistic that the forum will help attract fresh investment into Nigeria’s gas sector, boost regulatory clarity, and enhance collaboration between government and the private sector. These conversations are crucial for achieving long-term goals such as industrialisation, energy access, and sustainable development.
Nigeria holds Africa’s largest proven natural gas reserves and continues to position gas as a key driver of its energy transition. With strategic initiatives like the Decade of Gas, the Nigerian Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), and the growing push for autogas conversion, stakeholders agree that forums like this are vital to sustaining momentum.
As the umbrella body for licensed gas distributors across the country, ALDG is committed to pushing policies and practices that will improve midstream and downstream operations. The group hopes that this year’s forum will mark the beginning of stronger partnerships, clearer regulation, and more impactful investment in Nigeria’s gas distribution ecosystem.
