Nigeria LNG Limited is targeting the end of 2027 to start up its long delayed Train 7 project, a move that could significantly expand the country’s position in the global liquefied natural gas market. According to CNBC Africa, NLNG Managing Director Mohammed Bello said the company remains focused on bringing the project online by the end of next year. The project, located on Bonny Island in Rivers State, is designed to add a seventh liquefaction train to NLNG’s existing six train facility and represents a major expansion of Nigeria’s gas export infrastructure.
Train 7 is expected to increase NLNG’s production capacity by about 35%, from 22 million tonnes per annum to 30 million tonnes per annum, according to the company. NLNG says the project includes the new liquefaction train, a common liquefaction unit, additional storage and associated infrastructure, while construction had reached around 90% completion by June 2026 and pre commissioning activities had begun. The project has also generated significant employment, with more than 16,000 people reported to have worked directly on the construction site.
The expansion is strategically important for Nigeria because natural gas remains one of the country’s strongest opportunities to increase energy exports, attract investment and monetise its substantial gas resources. Reuters previously reported that Train 7 was expected to increase Nigeria’s LNG output by more than 30%, while the project’s original engineering, procurement and construction contract was valued at more than $4 billion. Bringing the facility online would also give Nigeria greater capacity to participate in a global LNG market where demand remains strong, particularly across Asia, while strengthening the country’s ability to compete with other major gas exporters.
The So What is that successful delivery of Train 7 could mark an important turning point for Nigeria’s gas industry, provided the country can maintain reliable feedstock supply and avoid further project delays. The additional capacity would increase export potential, generate foreign exchange and create opportunities across gas processing, shipping, engineering and local manufacturing, while supporting the government’s broader ambition to make gas a stronger pillar of the economy. Investors will therefore be watching the final construction and commissioning milestones closely, because bringing Train 7 into commercial operation by the end of 2027 would demonstrate that Nigeria can convert its vast gas reserves into productive infrastructure and sustained export earnings.
