By:Gurdian

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria is actively pursuing a $25 billion undersea gas pipeline project aimed at supplying natural gas to Europe, positioning the country as a leading player in global energy markets.

During a meeting with executives of Vitol Group, the world’s largest independent commodity trader, at the Presidential Villa on Monday, Shettima described Nigeria’s energy sector as a prime investment destination under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

“President Tinubu brings a unique blend of energy sector knowledge and financial acumen. In 25 years, we’ve not had a leader with the courage to take such bold, far-reaching decisions,” he said, citing the removal of the fuel subsidy, exchange rate unification, and comprehensive tax reforms.

The Vice President described Nigeria as a “gas economy,” noting that it holds the eighth-largest gas reserves in the world. “Our gas sector offers stability and transparency. NLNG, for example, has been largely shielded from political interference, providing predictable returns,” he said.

He urged Vitol to deepen its engagement with Nigeria, leveraging its global reach and technical expertise to advance infrastructure and export capacity.

In response, Vitol’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey Dellapina, reaffirmed the company’s long-standing commitment to Nigeria. “This country is incredibly important to us. From downstream operations to financing and trading, we’ve maintained close ties and will continue to invest,” he said.

Vitol’s Head of Public Affairs, Murtala Baloni, also cited the company’s support for Project Gazelle, a crude oil-backed forward-sale finance facility by NNPC Limited, to which Vitol contributed $300 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also present at the meeting was Nigeria Country Manager for Vitol, Thomas de Montulé.