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#Electricity: Leveraging Gas to Power Nigeria
In order for any country to experience sustainable growth, there is an underlying need for consistent, affordable, and environmentally-friendly energy.
Electricity plays a fundamental role in the socio-economic progress and development of every nation.
It facilitates the provision of basic amenities, essential health care, food, communication and transport.
It is also responsible for powering industries; from manufacturing to mining to agriculture to e-commerce to real estate and much more.
The Nigerian energy industry is arguably one of the most inefficient in meeting the energy needs of its consumers.
The persisting energy crises has weakened the progress of industrialization, hindered development, and contributed negatively to the quality of life in a country where majority of the populace live on less than $2 a day.
According to the Gas exporting countries forum, Nigeria has proven reserves of well over 5 trillion m³, the largest proven gas reserves in Africa.
With gas reserves far greater than our oil reserves, gas not only has the potential to power Nigeria for the next 50+ years, it also offers a comparably cheaper and cleaner way of generating energy.
Nigeria has reportedly flared more gas than any other country in the world despite the fact that the benefits of gas go beyond the socio-economic.
Gas discoveries in Nigeria have, for the most part, been incidental oil exploration and production activities.
As a result, despite the associated environmental hazards of gas flaring, experts say Nigeria used to flare about 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas a day (bcf/d), which could fuel about 7000MW of efficient thermal electric power, over 1,400 agro-processing facilities, 350 textile plants, and 70 fertilizer plants with a plethora of opportunities to create over one million jobs.
This amount of gas flared represents 12.5 percent of all globally flared gas. Between January and September 2014, Nigeria lost about $1billion as oil companies operating in the country flared a large proportion of the gas produced. This figure has now reduced by almost 50%, due to a realisation of the value of gas.
IOCs such as Shell recently announced they will focus their future investments in Nigeria on gas. Indigenous companies have also increased their own focus on the gas industry. For example, the indigenous oil and gas firm, Seplat Petroleum Development Company has invested $300m in the gas business.
The company also expanded its gas processing facility in Oben, Edo State to boost power generation in the region.
Oando PLC is another example. Their mid-stream subsidiary has begun the expansion of the Trans Amadi gas pipeline located in Port Harcourt, as well as a further extensive build-out of its vast Lagos gas grid to connect off-takers located on the Ijora-Marina-Bonny Camp axis.
The company has earmarked its approach as part of a long-term strategy to drive gas production and supply in every industrial centre in Nigeria. Oando has also announced plans to invest $36 million, in the construction of three gas-compression plants in the country within the next year.
A final example can be found in Seven Energy who recently secured a $495 million loan from a consortium of Nigerian and international lenders to help fund its spending to supply gas to the domestic market.
Seven has already invested $1 billion in related projects in the southeast gas fields along with the related infrastructure and pipelines so it can sell gas into the domestic market for use in power generation and industrial consumption.
These projects are all timely especially considering that domestic gas demand is projected to reach 5 billion cubic feet daily in the next two years.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts overall power generation in Africa to increase its current level of 17% to above 25% by 2040, further spurring an economy such as Nigeria’s, which is projected to grow to $4.2-trillion by 2040 and take its place as the world’s 4th largest economy.
This clearly outlines the trajectory of the global energy industry.
Undoubtedly, the transformation of Nigeria’s power sector is key in order to drive economic growth.
The power privatisation process, and the simultaneous process of divestment by major IOCs from gas rich, onshore Nigeria Delta assets heralded a period of investment in gas processing and distribution infrastructure that is vital to the long term success of the power industry, but much work remains to be done.
It is imperative that the government commits to accelerating and finishing the work that has been started in this area.
In certain areas, incentives, concessions, and enabling policies are still required. Institutions such as the World Bank have recognised this; its Partial Risk Guarantee Scheme in Nigeria is the largest such scheme in the world.
To provide the guarantees many investors are seeking, there has to be a regulatory process to enhance the creditworthiness of gas off-takers, along with the bankability and enforceability of domestic supply contracts as well as the gas price regime.
The benefits, if a viable framework is implemented, are exponential and indisputable. It is a simple fact that improving power generation and supply will have a considerable impact on our annual economic growth.
At a time when the Naira has devalued significantly and our overreliance on imported petroleum products has driven the currency even further down, import substitution is vital to power plants and industries to drive inclusive economic growth.
It is very clear that Nigeria’s energy requirements are very high while supply remains inadequate, insecure, and irregular.
Nonetheless, there is a firm belief in the future of the Nigerian gas industry and its potential to have a positive and tangible impact on energy provision, the economy and quality of life of every Nigerian.
Dawn Dimowo is a consultant with africapractice providing political and business intelligence, analysis and communications support to local and international clients in different industries including extractives, agriculture, ICT and finance. She worked formerly at the office of Legal Affairs of INTERPOL in Lyon and more recently with a government agency in Abuja. Dawn is a qualified lawyer and speaks English and French fluently
Glovo, a multi-category tech company, has announced its integration into the generative AI ecosystem with the launch of its “Shopping Assistant” for ChatGPT and Claude. Users can now discover retail products, compare prices, and seamlessly order any item using natural conversational language with the AI systems.
The Glovo experience inside such platforms introduces a conversational commerce model that shifts from a search-based web to an intent-based web. Rather than navigating traditional app menus and filters, users can express needs, such as asking for a “last-minute gift for a coffee lover under ₦50,000”, and the assistant handles semantic search, location validation, and product curation.
A Seamless, Concierge-Like Experience
Once both platforms have been connected through either ChatGPT or Claude apps, the user will be able to have a multi-turn dialogue where the assistant remembers context and constraints, such as budget caps. Users receive a visual carousel of up to five highly customised product options available at local stores. Each product displays its image, name, store details and ratings, and price. While the search and discovery experience takes place directly on the Generative AI platforms, selecting a product via the “view on Glovo” button takes the user to the Glovo mobile or web app, where the payment and final purchase are exclusively completed.
Strategic Focus on Retail and Growth
Glovo is prioritising the retail and grocery sectors for this initial launch, capturing the established habit of using AI for product research. Generative AI has driven a significant jump in retail traffic globally, so this first-mover advantage aims to meet customers where they are meeting Gen AI daily, and ensure it captures high-intent organic traffic as search behaviours evolve.
“We’re always looking for ways to meet our customers where they already are. Being available on Claude and ChatGPT means people can discover what Glovo has to offer as part of a natural conversation, with no friction. Glovo has always been about being the everyday app that provides choice and convenience, and this is another step in that direction”, said Shiro Theuri, Chief Technology Officer at Glovo.
How to look for products in the Glovo app through ChatGPT or Claude
- The user must sync ChatGPT or Claude with the Glovo app with the plug-in.
- Once synced, the user must type in @glovo followed by their request.
- The AI platform displays a carousel with 5 available options for the user.
- If the user wants to purchase any of the products or continue searching within the Glovo app, they must click “View on Glovo”, which will redirect the user to the Glovo app or website.
- After the order is confirmed, the store will prepare the item(s) and the courier will head up to the pick-up location. The user will receive the order in minutes.
Southeast Asia cybercrime networks are expanding operations into Africa as crackdowns intensify in the subregion, according to a recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The massive, unintended geographic shift triggered by intense pressure from international task forces in Myanmar and Cambodia,have seen highly sophisticated criminal networks now establishing footholds in major tech hubs across Kenya and Nigeria, transforming local technical talent into accomplices for industrial-scale digital theft as reported by https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/
This strategic migration represents a critical evolution in the $17 billion crypto scam economy.
Transnational scam syndicates are organized criminal networks that run industrial-scale online fraud using trapped or trafficked labor.
The UNODC has documented this diversification, noting that African nations are increasingly targeted as operational bases due to robust internet infrastructure and a surplus of unemployed tech workers.
In response, local authorities are engaged in a frantic game of catch-up against well-funded foreign cartels.
Recall that in 2025, UNODC, described the shift as part of a broader trend in which crime “spreads like a cancer,” into regions with weaker enforcement and limited digital safeguards.
The report pointed to the rapid proliferation of online fraud operations, including cryptocurrency scams and phishing schemes, moving from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia into new footholds in Africa—particularly Nigeria.
A recent case publicized June 12, 2025 by the WeChat public account West Africa Chinese Voice illustrates the trend: Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 177 Chinese nationals in Lagos and Abuja between December 2024 and January 2025.
The suspects were allegedly running scam centers under the guise of corporate offices, where local Nigerians were trained to carry out online investment frauds—many following the “pig-butchering” model, which builds trust with victims before luring them into fraudulent crypto investments.
Authorities seized hundreds of SIM cards, high-performance computers, and prewritten scam scripts during the raids
Ugochukwu Eze, a 47 year-old man, was on Thursday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to steal a total of N800m.
Ugochukwu also known as Amazon, was arraigned before the court by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
DSS accused Ugochukwu of fraudulently hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to remove and divert the sum of N800 million into several accounts in other financial institutions.
M. Bajela,prosecuting counsel, DSS, in the charges filed before the court alleged that the defendant and others now at large, between 2023 and 2026, conspired among themselves and unlawfully and seriously hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system server and in the process fraudulently diverted over N800 million belonging to the bank.
Ugochukwu was also accused of concealing and transferring various sums of money traced to the unlawful cyber-attacks to some account in some financial institutions.
The offences alleged to have been committed by the defendant according to the prosecutor contravened sections 5; 6(1) and 8 of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2024. And Sections 10, 20 and 18(2)(D) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Based on his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, and prayed the court to remand the defendant in the facility of the correctional services pending the time trial will commence.
However, E. Afrogha, defendant’s lawyer, told the court that she has filed her client’s bail application. adding that her client has been in the DSS custody for over a month.
But the prosecution counsel told the court that he has not been served with the bail application, not withstanding that his witnesses are available.
Based on the counsels’ submissions, Justice Friday Ogazi, presiding judge, adjourned the matter to August 24,2026 for hearing of the bail application.
The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) pending the hearing of the bail application.
One of the counts against the defendant reads: “That you UGOCHUKWU EZE (AKA AMAZON) (M) (47 YEARS) sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos, and other places within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, unlawfully seriously hindered the function of SunTrust Bank Plc’s computer system, and in the process fraudulently diverted over N800, 000,000.00 (Eight Hundred Million Naira) belonging to the said SunTrust Bank thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc.) Act, 2024.”
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