President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, and the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Philip Mshelbila, on their emergence as the president of the 2026 Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Ministerial Meeting and the GECF secretary-general, respectively.
This was revealed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
The development follows their election as secretary-general and president during the 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum held in Doha, Qatar.
Commenting on the achievement, President Tinubu said the development would further strengthen Nigeria’s leadership position in global gas diplomacy.
He expressed confidence that Dr Mshelbila and Minister Ekpo would represent Nigeria with excellence and collaborate effectively with other member nations to enhance cooperation, stability, and inclusivity within the global gas market.
“The Nigerian government is proud of Mshelbila’s election as secretary-general and Ekpo’s emergence as president of the GECF Ministerial meeting, as the two positions reflect the international community’s confidence in Nigeria’s leadership and technical expertise in the global gas sector.
“Natural gas remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrial growth, energy security, and economic transformation under our administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Our country shall remain a dependable voice in advancing equitable energy access and a cleaner energy future,” President Tinubu said.
