The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority says it is targeting up to $10 billion in gas investments through a federal infrastructure fund designed to reduce project risks and attract private capital into Nigeria’s gas sector.

NMDPRA Chief Executive Rabiu Abdullahi Umar disclosed the target during a panel session at the 2026 Gastech Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, saying the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, MDGIF, was being used to provide seed capital and equity financing for gas projects.

Umar said about $300 million had already been deployed through the fund to support projects and make larger private investments more commercially attractive.

The regulator’s strategy is not for government financing to cover the entire cost of gas projects. Instead, the fund is intended to take equity positions or provide initial capital that reduces risk for private investors.

According to Umar, the $10 billion figure represents the scale of additional investment NMDPRA hopes the fund can eventually unlock.

The target should therefore not be interpreted as $10 billion already committed or received by Nigeria.

Projects supported by the fund cut across different parts of the gas value chain, including liquefied natural gas, floating LNG, liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas.

Umar said greater investment in infrastructure would be necessary if Nigeria is to make gas more available and affordable for domestic consumers while also expanding its position in regional and international energy markets.

The announcement comes as Nigeria seeks to increase the use of natural gas for electricity, transportation, industry and exports.

At the same Gastech conference, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan said Nigeria has about 215 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, but current production remains small compared with the country’s resource base.

Eyesan said raising production would require additional investment, expanded infrastructure and commercially sustainable gas pricing.

Nigeria has increasingly promoted gas as an important part of its energy strategy, including investments in CNG infrastructure intended to reduce reliance on petrol and diesel for transportation.

Earlier federal initiatives under the MDGIF have included CNG mother and daughter stations and other midstream infrastructure projects.

Umar also identified major pipeline infrastructure, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, as important to expanding the movement of gas from producing regions to areas of demand.

He said cross-border projects would also require stronger cooperation between regulators and clearer standards for issues such as transportation, measurement and custody transfer.

The regulator said predictable rules would be important to attracting long-term private investment, particularly for projects requiring significant upfront capital.

The $10 billion investment ambition comes after NMDPRA said in November 2025 that the gas infrastructure fund had helped facilitate more than ₦287 billion in investment across gas projects.