By Zainab Bakare
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to securing critical national assets across the country.
The Minister gave the assurance while receiving the executive leadership of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the high-level meeting focused on strengthening security collaboration to protect vital energy infrastructure, ensure national economic stability, and support NLNG’s ongoing capacity expansion projects.
Speaking during the meeting, General Musa stressed the importance of collaboration in addressing operational challenges affecting the nation’s energy sector.
“Nigeria needs gas,” the Minister stated, adding that close cooperation among stakeholders remains the most effective strategy for resolving existing bottlenecks.
To tackle insecurity within the maritime domain, the Defence Minister disclosed that the Federal Government has established a dedicated Maritime Task Force operating in the Gulf of Guinea to enhance security and safeguard strategic assets.
He also called for collective problem-solving among stakeholders and revealed that Nigeria is increasingly investing in local defence production as a sustainable response to the global slowdown in international arms procurement.
Reaffirming the Armed Forces’ commitment to supporting NLNG and other strategic national assets, General Musa assured the delegation of continued cooperation.
“I assure you that we are together, and we are going to give you all the support that you need,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Limited, Leye Falade, expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Armed Forces for their consistent efforts in protecting critical infrastructure vital to Nigeria’s economic growth.
Falade noted that disruptions within the upstream supply chain directly impact national output, especially given NLNG’s status as a joint venture with majority government ownership.
He also highlighted the company’s commitment to addressing domestic energy challenges, particularly the growing demand for clean cooking alternatives across the country.
“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.
The NLNG boss further commended the Nigerian Navy for its exceptional role in maritime security and emphasised the critical role of the Armed Forces in protecting Nigeria’s economic value chain.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to deepen operational synergy to ensure NLNG’s expansion projects and ongoing operations remain secure, resilient, and capable of supporting Nigeria’s future economic growth.
