The Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa Gwabin (Rtd) OFR reaffirmed the federal government’s unwavering commitment to securing critical national assets. He acknowledged this when he played host to the Executive leadership from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) who paid him a courtesy visit at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House , Abuja.
The high-level meeting focused on enhancing security collaborations to protect vital energy infrastructure, ensuring national economic stability, and advancing NLNG’s capacity expansion projects.
General Christopher Musa (rtd) reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to securing critical national assets. He acknowledged that “Nigeria needs gas” and stressed that close collaboration is the most effective path to resolving active operational bottlenecks.
To directly address insecurity in the maritime domain, the Minister highlighted the creation of a dedicated Maritime Task Force operating within the Gulf of Guinea.
He also called for collective problem-solving to overcome identified constraints. In the light of a global slowdown in international arms procurement, General Musa disclosed that Nigeria is already looking inward by building capacity in local defence production as a sustainable, long-term solution.
He reiterated the commitment of the Armed Forces with a strong assurance of cooperation, General Musa stated:
“I assure you that we are together, and we are going to give you all the support that you need.”
Earlier, the NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Leye Falade, who led the delegation expressed profound gratitude to the Nigerian Armed Forces for their steadfast role in safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure that remain vital for economic growth.
As a joint venture with majority shares owned by the government, Falade emphasised how direct disruptions impact the upstream supply chain, subsequently affecting national output.
He underscored the human element of their mission, particularly those occasioned by lack of clean cooking alternatives, a crisis NLNG is actively trying to alleviate as domestic demand continues to surge.
“The military has significantly stepped up to help us continue serving the nation. As one of Nigeria’s highest tax-paying organizations, we want to do even more for the economy. We are currently expanding our capacity by 35 percent through our Train 7 project, and safeguarding these operations is paramount to balancing the expectations of our shareholders with our national mandate,” Falade stated.
He particularly commended the Nigerian Navy for its exceptional role in providing maritime safety security and emphasised the indispensable role the Armed Forces play in securing the country’s economic value chain.
The visit concluded with both parties agreeing to establish closer operational synergy to guarantee that NLNG’s expansion and ongoing operations remain secure, resilient, and primed to power Nigeria’s future economic growth.
E-signed
Leah Katung-Babatunde
SA (Media to the Honourable Minister)