The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has signed six strategic agreements with key industry partners aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s gas-based industrialisation, enhancing domestic gas utilisation and strengthening the country’s energy security.
According to an official signed statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, Andy Odeh, the agreements were executed on the sidelines of the ongoing 25th NOG Energy Week in Abuja on Tuesday. They include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), a Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement (GSAA) with ASCL, a Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) with UTM FLNG, and Network Entry Agreements with Chevron Nigeria Limited, AGPC and NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, described the agreements as a major step towards advancing the Federal Government’s gas-based industrialisation agenda and unlocking sustainable economic growth.
“What we are witnessing today is not just about signing agreements. It is about igniting the engine of Nigeria’s industrialisation. Gas is the key. It is a source of revenue and profit. It is also the only product that can have that level of industrial impact on Nigeria, more than any other hydrocarbon,” Ojulari said.
He noted that the agreements reflect NNPC Ltd’s commitment to transparency, efficiency and the implementation of a standardised framework for nationwide gas utilisation, adding that they would unlock new domestic gas supply capacity and reinforce gas as a catalyst for Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Ojulari further stated that the partnerships would drive local content development, improve energy security and accelerate Nigeria’s emergence as a global industrial powerhouse, while reaffirming NNPC Ltd’s position as the partner of choice in the country’s energy sector.
A major highlight of the signing ceremony was the collaboration between NNPC Ltd and Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, both organisations agreed to extend their partnership beyond gas supply to support the production of steel raw materials for oil and gas pipelines, a move expected to facilitate major infrastructure projects, including the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) and the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) 3.
The MoU focuses on revitalising the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and expanding domestic gas utilisation through the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code.
The parties also signed a 20-year Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement involving NNPC E&P Limited (NEPL), the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria Limited/Gte (GACN) and ASCL. The agreement provides for the supply of three million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) of firm gas volumes and 47MMscf/d of interruptible gas volumes to power the Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
In another significant development, the NNPC Ltd/Seplat Joint Venture signed a 15-year Wet Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement with UTM FLNG Limited. The agreement commits the joint venture to supply 200MMscf/d of gas to the UTM Floating LNG project, providing long-term feedgas security required to support project financing and pave the way for a Final Investment Decision expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
NNPC Ltd also announced the successful migration of legacy interconnection agreements to the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code through the execution of Network Entry Agreements with Chevron Nigeria Limited, AGPC and NEPL.
The agreements are expected to inject up to 800MMscf/d of natural gas into the domestic transportation network, boosting supplies to power plants, gas-based industries and industrial clusters while improving network flexibility and the security of gas supply across the country.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Ms. Olu Verheijen; the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan; and the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Rabiu Umar.
The agreements were signed during the 25th NOG Energy Week, themed “Advancing Energy Ambitions for Competitive and Resilient Economies,” which highlights the importance of strategic partnerships in driving Nigeria’s energy transition and industrial development.
