Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has issued a stark warning that persistently high global gas prices are prompting many developing countries to abandon cleaner fuels and return to coal, threatening progress toward global decarbonization and widening the energy inequality gap. The warning came from NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer during the World LNG Summit & Awards in Istanbul, Turkey, where he spoke on the panel “Energy Expansion in a Challenging Global Trade Environment.”
NLNG noted that the world is entering a period marked by rising geopolitical tensions, fragmented trade networks, and shifting contracting patterns that could disrupt energy supply stability, particularly for emerging markets struggling with affordability. These pressures, according to the company, risk slowing the energy transition unless urgent structural reforms are implemented across LNG supply chains, pricing mechanisms, financing options, and decarbonization strategies.
The company’s General Manager for External Relations & Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, added that developing nations face difficult choices as high LNG prices make cleaner fuels less accessible. Many are now compelled to rely on coal and other carbon-intensive energy sources to meet immediate energy needs, a move that reverses environmental gains and contributes to higher emissions.
NLNG emphasized that without targeted interventions, the gap between developed and developing countries in accessing affordable, low-carbon energy will continue to grow. The firm urged policymakers, international financiers, and energy stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that improve access to LNG, stabilize prices, and support financing mechanisms that make the energy transition feasible for emerging economies.
The statement underscores a critical global challenge: ensuring that the energy transition is inclusive and does not leave developing nations behind. NLNG’s call highlights the need for coordinated global action to maintain momentum toward net-zero targets while ensuring energy security and affordability for vulnerable markets.
This development comes as global energy markets grapple with post-pandemic demand fluctuations, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and the rising cost of raw materials, all of which have amplified the financial strain on countries trying to adopt cleaner energy sources. For developing nations, access to affordable LNG is increasingly not just an environmental imperative but a socioeconomic necessity, as energy costs directly impact industrial growth, job creation, and the ability to provide reliable power to citizens.
NLNG’s warning serves as a reminder that the path to decarbonization is closely tied to global energy market dynamics and that international cooperation will be essential to prevent a slide back into high-emission energy use in emerging economies.
