By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
-Project to be fully privately funded, without liability to Govt – Ewalefoh
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to guide the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) strictly under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, with zero public funding and no contingent liability to government.
The Director-General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the Project Steering Committee for the NGCC, stating that the Commission would ensure full compliance with the conditions of the presidential approval and established PPP procedures.
According to him, the NGCC — conceived as a strategic national platform for real-time monitoring and coordination of Nigeria’s gas infrastructure — must be fully financed by the private proponent, with no recourse to public funds or sovereign guarantees.
He stressed that the President’s directive reflects a clear commitment to fiscal discipline, private-sector-led infrastructure delivery and protection of public resources.
“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,” Ewalefoh said.
“Public interest, value for money, financial prudence and strict regulatory compliance will guide every stage of this process.”
The ICRC boss noted that while the NGCC is of significant strategic importance to Nigeria’s energy architecture, its importance does not override the need for disciplined project preparation and strict adherence to regulatory safeguards.
The NGCC, approved as a PPP initiative, is designed to provide centralised operational coordination across Nigeria’s gas value chain, strengthen emergency response management and enhance transparency in gas infrastructure operations.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Sen. Ekperikpe Ekpo, inaugurated the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) to drive implementation of the initiative in alignment with the presidential directive.
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Members of the PSC include representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and the project promoter.
The Joint Technical Working Group comprises technical, legal and institutional representatives from relevant agencies and the private proponent, tasked with advancing preparatory processes in compliance with PPP regulatory requirements.
