The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has commended President Bola Tinubu for his strategic role in Nigeria’s emergence into key leadership positions within the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
At the 27th GECF Ministerial Meeting held Thursday in Doha, Qatar, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG (NLNG), was elected as the new Secretary-General of the Forum, while the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, was named President of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bashir Ojulari, described the twin achievements as a major milestone and a strong validation of the Federal Government’s Gas Agenda aimed at positioning natural gas as a catalyst for industrial growth and economic transformation.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud of what Dr. Mshelbila has achieved at NLNG, where he has worked tirelessly to convert Nigeria’s vast gas reserves into export-grade LNG, LPG and condensates, serving both domestic and global markets,” Ojulari said in a statement by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer.
He added that Mshelbila’s election “has put Nigeria firmly on the global energy map,” noting that President Tinubu’s Gas to Prosperity vision is already yielding results.
Ojulari also congratulated Dr. Ekpo on his appointment as GECF Ministerial President, lauding his efforts to drive Nigeria’s gas-led industrialization agenda.
In a related development, the Nigerian Executive Board Member of GECF and Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, also hailed the appointments.
Ahmed described the dual honours as “a testament to Nigeria’s growing credibility and leadership within the global gas community,” adding that Mshelbila’s vast experience would further strengthen GECF’s role in advancing global energy security.
The GECF, an intergovernmental organization of the world’s leading gas-exporting nations, serves as a platform for cooperation, dialogue, and knowledge exchange among members. It seeks to enhance the stability and security of global gas supply and demand while promoting natural gas as a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Mshelbila succeeds Algeria’s Mohamed Hamel as the fifth Secretary-General of the Forum.
