President Bola Tinubu has directed the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to ensure that the Federal Government’s National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) is executed strictly under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, with no public funding or contingent liability to government.
The Director-General of ICRC, Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the NGCC, noting that every proposal must comply with laid-down PPP procedures and undergo rigorous feasibility, risk allocation, and sustainability assessments before implementation.
“This initiative must be fully funded by the private proponent without recourse to public funds or sovereign guarantees,” Ewalefoh said. “Public interest, value for money, financial prudence, and strict regulatory compliance will guide every stage of this process.”
The NGCC is designed as a strategic national platform for real-time monitoring and coordination of Nigeria’s gas infrastructure, providing centralised operational oversight across pipelines, processing facilities, and commercial gas flows. It is also expected to improve emergency response management, enhance transparency, and support reliable gas supply for power generation and industrialisation.
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Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Sen. Ekperikpe Ekpo, inaugurated the PSC and the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) to drive the project in line with the presidential directive. The PSC includes representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, ICRC, and the private sector project promoter.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas agenda, which aims to expand domestic gas utilisation, deepen gas-to-power delivery, and boost industrial development. Anchored on reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, the NGCC is intended to strengthen governance, improve operational oversight, and attract private sector investment in Nigeria’s gas sector.
The JTWG, composed of technical, legal, and institutional representatives from relevant agencies and the private proponent, is tasked with advancing preparatory processes in full compliance with PPP regulatory requirements, ensuring the project is delivered efficiently and sustainably without reliance on public finances.