The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Ltd, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, have been elected President and Secretary General of the 2026 Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Ministerial Meeting. The announcement was made in a statement by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, in Abuja. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the emergence of Nigeria’s candidates, calling the achievement a historic moment for the country and a testament to the Federal Government’s gas agenda, which seeks to use natural gas as a major fuel for industrial growth and economic development.
Dr. Mshelbila, who succeeds Algeria’s Mohamed Hamel as the fifth Secretary General of the global organization, was elected at the Forum’s 27th Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar. The GECF has long been a leading voice in positioning natural gas as a cornerstone of sustainable development worldwide. As the new Secretary General, Mshelbila is expected to shape the organization’s agenda and promote the interests of its member countries.
Engr. Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, expressed pride in Mshelbila’s achievement, noting that it reflects the progress being made in Nigeria’s gas sector. He also congratulated Ekpo on his election as President of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting, recognizing Ekpo’s efforts to harness Nigeria’s abundant gas resources for industrialisation and economic development.
The GECF is an international intergovernmental organization that provides a platform for the exchange of experience and information among its members, which include major gas‑exporting nations such as Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt and Qatar. Collectively, GECF members hold 69 % of the world’s proven natural‑gas reserves and account for 39 % of marketed production.
The election of Ekpo and Mshelbila is seen as a significant development for Nigeria and the African region, reinforcing the country’s position as a major player in the global gas market. With Mshelbila at the helm of the GECF, Nigeria and the region are expected to make remarkable progress in making natural gas a pivotal resource for inclusive and sustainable development. The outcome of the election is likely to have far‑reaching implications for the global energy landscape, as the GECF continues to shape the future of the gas industry.
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