The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has urged African countries to strengthen financing structures and improve payment systems to unlock the continent’s vast gas potential and drive sustainable energy growth.

Speaking at a strategic roundtable organised by the African Oil and Gas Coalition during the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, NNPC Ltd’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, said Africa must focus on building practical and bankable solutions to address long-standing challenges in gas monetisation.

The session, themed “Gas without Cash: Breaking the African Monetisation Deadlock,” brought together energy executives and policymakers to discuss ways of attracting more investment into Africa’s gas sector.

Ogunleye said Africa’s gas resources remain underutilised due to weak financing structures and payment challenges, stressing that reliable cash flow systems are essential for attracting long-term investment.

He called for stronger African-led financial frameworks that reflect local market realities and support sustainable development across the energy value chain.

“For Africa to fully unlock its gas potential, we must move from conversations about challenges to building practical, bankable solutions that work within African realities,” he said.

Ogunleye added that reliable payment performance remains the foundation for sustainable gas commercialisation across Africa, noting that without trust in payment systems, investment in large-scale gas projects would remain limited.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s strategy for the sector, saying the country is adopting a value-chain approach aimed at positioning itself as a regional energy hub.

“Nigeria is taking a comprehensive value-chain approach to the oil and gas business,” he said, adding that the goal is to strengthen commercial viability and expand regional energy integration.

The Africa CEO Forum, which gathers senior executives, investors and policymakers from across the continent and beyond, focuses on issues including regional integration, investment mobilisation and sustainable economic growth.