Harnessing Nigerias Vast Natural Gas Potential For Industrial Renaissance And National Prosperity

According to authoritative statistical data released by the International Energy Agency, Nigeria holds the largest proven natural gas reserves on the African continent, totaling approximately 209 trillion cubic feet , and yet it can only supply less than 4,000 megawatts of reliable electricity to its national population of over 220 million. This stark contradiction is not accidental; it is the cumulative result of decades of institutional failure, long-term insufficient investment in infrastructure, and a persistent domestic policy that prioritizes crude oil exports while ignoring the development and utilization of local natural gas resources. The objective of this research is to sort through relevant literature in both academic and policy fields, analyse why Nigeria cannot convert its natural gas endowment into actual industrial output, and explore feasible paths for industrial transformation. This paper employs a qualitative systematic review methodology, drawing on academic and policy literature. Sources were identified through searches in Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and databases of the World Bank, AfDB, IEA, and NNPCL, covering publications from 1990 to 2025. Inclusion criteria were relevance to Nigeria's natural gas utilization, industrial policy, or institutional reform. Thematic synthesis was used to integrate findings across sources. Findings reveal that the root of Nigeria's natural gas predicament lies in governance and institutional issues rather than flaws in its resource endowment . The paper recommends three core reform measures that must be implemented to achieve industrial transformation . The study concludes that the vast natural gas potential of Nigeria can be optimally utilised to achieve industrial rebirth and national prosperity only wh