The European Union (EU) is looking to purchase additional gas from Nigeria to replace Russian gas in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU currently sources nearly fourteen percent of its total liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from Nigeria. This capacity could be more than doubled. Because of pipeline theft and vandalism. As a result the Nigeria LNG terminal located at Bonny Island, in the Niger Delta, is being operated at 60% capacity.

 

Nigeria is also planning to re-open the Trans Niger pipeline after August 2022. Once reopened, the pipeline is expected to enable additional gas exports to Europe, In 2021, Nigeria reported 23 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas exports to the EU. The biggest buyers were Spain with 49 cargoes supplied -- or 4.3 Bcm of gas equivalent -- France (38 cargoes), Portugal (34 cargoes), and Turkey (15 cargoes).Several LNG cargoes were also delivered last year each to Croatia, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK. Nigeria's six-train LNG export facility has a capacity of 22.5 million mt/year (31 Bcm/year), but it is being expanded to 30 million mt/year with the addition of a seventh train.

 

The European Union (EU) is willing to help Nigeria increase the competitiveness of its liquified natural gas (LNG), “We can no longer count on the gas coming from the Russian Federation and we want to build a new partnership with countries like Nigeria with whom we have an already well-established partnership to obtain more gas and LNG from you on good commercial terms,” - EU Deputy Director on Energy Matthew Baldwin.