FG Sets Up Steering C’ttee for National Gas Infrastructure Centre

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government has inaugurated a steering committee and Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) to drive the establishment of the National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC), a centralised digital platform aimed at strengthening transparency, coordination and operational efficiency across Nigeria’s gas value chain.

‎Enabled by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the initiative will provide real-time oversight of Nigeria’s national gas infrastructure, and is expected to unlock greater value from Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, in the nation’s quest to grow natural gas production to 12Bscfd by 2030.

‎The NGCC will be established under a private sector-led Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under regulatory supervision of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), with no financial exposure to the federal government,  a statement by Louis Ibah,  spokesman to the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), “Ekperikpe Ekpo, said.

Engineering Automation Technology Limited. (EATL), an indigenous firm and project promoter, will handle system design and funding mobilisation, in partnership with its Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the statement added.

‎Speaking at the inauguration,  Ekpo described the command centre as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s gas-to-power ambitions and broader industrialisation agenda under the ‘Decade of Gas Initiative.’

‎He said the steering committee will provide strategic direction, ensure policy alignment and strengthen inter-agency collaboration, while guiding phased implementation. The JTWG, he added, will develop the technical framework for the centre, including system architecture, data standards, operational protocols and risk mitigation measures required for an integrated national command system.

‎“The NGCC is a national asset that requires unified effort and a focus on outcomes that benefit all Nigerians. The government expects clear deliverables, actionable recommendations and consistent progress reporting,” he said.

‎Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of EATL, the project promoter, Dr Emmanuel Okon, described the initiative as a strategic national platform for real-time monitoring, operational coordination, emergency response and optimisation of Nigeria’s natural gas infrastructure network.

‎He said the NGCC would enable real-time monitoring and coordination across the entire gas infrastructure network, covering all operators to enhance safety, efficiency and system reliability. The platform, he added, will drive optimisation and transparency across pipelines, processing facilities and commercial gas flows to improve utilisation.

‎Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience Oyekunle, described the NGCC as a critical national asset that will strengthen automation and coordination across the country’s gas infrastructure.

‎Also speaking, Director General of the ICRC, Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, underscored the strategic importance of the NGCC, describing it as both a transformative governance instrument for the gas sector and a national security asset.

‎In his remarks, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Olalekan Ogunleye, expressed the readiness of the state-owned energy company to collaborate with investors, such as EATL, to realise the federal government’s objectives for the gas sector.