The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed that a Nigerian injured in last week’s explosion at the Barzan Gas Supply Facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, has been discharged from hospital and is recovering.
In a statement issued yesterday, NiDCOM identified the injured Nigerian as Jubril Akorede Abdulrahman, saying he is recuperating at accommodation provided by his employer after receiving medical treatment.
The Commission also commended Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for what it described as his swift intervention and close monitoring of Abdulrahman’s condition following the incident, reports Sunday Guardian.
According to NiDCOM, the explosion occurred at about 10:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 21, at the Barzan Gas Supply Facility operated by QatarEnergy in Ras Laffan Industrial City.
QatarEnergy had earlier confirmed that the explosion and subsequent fire resulted from an operational accident during restart activities at the facility and was not caused by sabotage or any hostile act.
The company said the Barzan plant had been shut down since December 2025 for planned maintenance and resumed operations only two days before the incident.
Qatari authorities said 13 people were killed in the explosion, while 66 others sustained injuries. None of those injured was reported to be in life-threatening condition. The casualties included workers from several countries, with the injured comprising nationals of Qatar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Nepal and other countries.
Emergency response teams from QatarEnergy and the Qatar Civil Defence brought the fire under control, while a full investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing. Authorities also said the incident did not affect the country’s liquefied natural gas export operations or activities at Ras Laffan Port.
Reacting to Abdulrahman’s recovery, NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed relief over his discharge from hospital and extended sympathy to all those still receiving treatment.
“We are glad that Jubril Abdulrahman is recovering and in safe hands. Our prayers are with him and with everyone still receiving treatment,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa urged QatarEnergy to continue providing medical care and welfare support to all affected workers throughout their recovery.
The Commission also praised Ambassador Yakubu for promptly engaging Qatari authorities and closely monitoring the Nigerian’s condition, describing his actions as an example of effective consular service to Nigerians living abroad.
The explosion at the Barzan facility is one of Qatar’s deadliest industrial accidents in recent years. Ras Laffan Industrial City is home to one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas processing and export hubs, making the incident significant for both the country’s energy sector and the thousands of expatriate workers employed there. Despite the accident, QatarEnergy has assured global markets that its LNG exports and other operations remain unaffected while investigations continue into the cause of the explosion.
