Finance, Technology Key to Unlocking Nigeria’s Gas Potential – Asalu, MD, Zamam Offshore

The Managing Director of Zamam Offshore Services Limited, Mr Oluwole Asalu, has called for stronger financing frameworks, deliberate infrastructure investment, and accelerated technology adoption to unlock Nigeria’s domestic gas potential. He made this call during a panel session at Lagos Energy Week held recently.Speaking during the session titled “Advancing Domestic Gas Utilisation: An ESG Framework for Emission Reduction,” Mr Asalu joined industry leaders to examine how sustainability principles can drive responsible gas development in Nigeria.Anchoring his remarks on supply reliability, Mr Asalu identified infrastructure gaps as the most immediate constraint to domestic gas expansion. “Demand for gas is not the problem. The real challenge is the infrastructure required to deliver gas at scale. Until we close that gap, reliability will remain a structural issue. These infrastructures are capital-intensive, social-impact assets that typically require the biggest funders to step in,” he noted, adding that legacy infrastructure continues to shape current operational limitations.On the role of technology, Mr Asalu described digital systems as a key enabler of transparency and operational efficiency across the value chain. “When the right systems are deployed, transparency improves, regulators gain clarity, and accountability becomes easier for everyone,” he said.He identified financing as the decisive lever for accelerating ESG-aligned gas development. “Finance has to be the starting point. Whoever provides capital will demand standards, metrics, and governance,” he stated. “Increasingly, access to funding is tied directly to ESG alignment.”Echoing the financing argument, the Managing Director of Axxela GMI, Mr Frank Umole, stressed that the real bottleneck is not demand but the cost and structure of capital required to build midstream infrastructure. “We do not have a demand problem in Nigeria. We have over 210 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves and a young population that will continue to drive consumption. The problem is the cost of financing and the mismatch between infrastructure timelines and investor expectations.”Beyond infrastructure and policy, Mr Asalu highlighted the importance of talent development within Nigeria’s energy ecosystem. “We have identified a persistent talent gap in the industry, and we are taking deliberate steps to address it through structured exposure and partnerships that deepen the competencies of young engineers,” he said.Through his leadership at Zamam Offshore Services Limited, Mr Asalu continues to champion local content advancement and responsible energy development. His contributions at Lagos Energy Week underscored the importance of aligning finance, infrastructure, technology, and talent to unlock the full value of Nigeria’s domestic gas resources.L–R: Labake Ajiboye Richard, CEO & Principal Consultant, AR Initiative; Victor Imevbore, Co-Founder/MD, Environmental Resources Managers Limited; Obianuju Igbokwe, Lagos Representative, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE); Oluwole Asalu, MD, Zamam Offshore Services Limited; and Frank Umole, MD, Axxela GMI, during the 2026 SPE Lagos Energy Week held in Lagos.