Nigeria’s government has sent its condolences to Qatar following a fatal explosion at a major gas processing facility that killed 13 people.

The blast, which occurred at the Barzan gas facility within the sprawling Ras Laffan Industrial Complex, also left 66 people injured.

In a statement issued on Friday, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, expressed “profound sadness” over the incident and extended sympathies to the families of the victims.

Accident During Restart

The explosion happened in late June as engineers were attempting to restart operations at the facility.

The Barzan site, located about 80km (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, had been shut down for routine maintenance since late 2025.

Qatari energy officials have since confirmed that the disaster was an “operational accident” caused by a technical malfunction, ruling out sabotage or hostile action.

The complex holds major global significance, supplying pipeline gas domestically and serving as a gateway to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export hub.

International Casualties

The multinational workforce at the industrial city bore the brunt of the casualty toll.

• Fatalities: Qatari authorities confirmed that 12 Indian nationals and one Pakistani citizen were killed in the blast.
• Injuries: The 66 injured workers include citizens from Qatar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Officials in Doha stated that none of the surviving injured workers are in a life-threatening condition, and that Qatar’s broader gas export capabilities remain unaffected by the incident.