Tinubu orders private funding for National Gas Command Centre

President Bola Tinubu has ordered that the Federal Government’s proposed National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre be implemented strictly under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)framework with no funding from public resources.

The directive means the project must be financed entirely by the private sector without any financial obligation or guarantee from the Federal Government.

The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, disclosed this during the inaugural meeting of the Project Steering Committee set up to oversee the project.

Ewalefoh explained that the President has instructed the Commission to ensure that the implementation of the National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre, also known as NGCC, strictly follows established PPP procedures.

According to him, the project must be carried out in a way that protects government finances while allowing the private sector to take the lead in funding and delivering the infrastructure.

“The National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre must be fully financed by the private proponent, with no recourse to public funds or sovereign guarantees,” Ewalefoh said.

He explained that the presidential directive is designed to promote fiscal discipline while encouraging private sector investment in critical infrastructure.

Ewalefoh said the ICRC will closely guide the project to ensure that it follows the rules governing PPP projects in Nigeria.

He also warned that the use of technology alone does not make a project financially viable.

“Technology alone does not guarantee viability. Automation in itself does not make a project bankable. Every proposal must pass through a structured PPP framework that rigorously tests feasibility, risk allocation, affordability and sustainability before implementation proceeds,” he said.

He added that the process would ensure that every stage of the project protects public interest and delivers value for money.

“Public interest, value for money, financial prudence and strict regulatory compliance will guide every stage of this process,” Ewalefoh said.

He explained that although the NGCC is considered an important national project for the gas sector, its strategic value does not remove the need for proper planning and regulatory oversight.

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According to him, the project must still pass through the normal approval and evaluation procedures required for Public-Private Partnership initiatives.

The National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre is expected to serve as a central platform for monitoring and coordinating gas infrastructure across Nigeria.

It is also expected to strengthen emergency response capabilities and improve transparency in the management of gas infrastructure operations.

To move the project forward, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, inaugurated a Project Steering Committee and a Joint Technical Working Group to oversee the preparatory stages.

The Project Steering Committee will provide overall guidance and ensure that the project is implemented in line with the presidential directive and regulatory requirements.

Members of the committee include representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the NNPC Limited and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, as well as representatives of the project promoter.

The Joint Technical Working Group will handle the technical, legal and institutional preparations needed before the project can move to the next stage.

According to the ICRC, the group includes experts from relevant government agencies together with representatives of the private sector promoter of the project.

Their task is to carry out the required studies and preparatory work to ensure the project complies fully with the rules governing PPPs in Nigeria.