- Commission eyes zero liability for govt
- Project to enjoy private funding fully – Ewalefoh
BY COBHAM NSA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) marching orders to ensure the Federal Government’s National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) is strictly implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
By this presidential directives, the project’s guiding arrangement must have zero public funding with no contingent liability to the government.
According to ICRC Director-General, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the Commission would ensure full compliance with the conditions of the presidential approval and established PPP procedures.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of NGCC’s Project Steering Committee, Ewalefoh said the project was conceived as a strategic national platform for real-time monitoring and coordination of Nigeria’s gas infrastructure that must be fully financed by the private proponent, with no recourse to public funds or sovereign guarantees.
He said the Presidential directive reflects a clear commitment to fiscal discipline, private-sector-led infrastructure delivery and protection of public resources.
The ICRC boss further said, “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.
“Public interest, value for money, financial prudence and strict regulatory compliance will guide every stage of this process.”
He said 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.
Approved as a PPP initiative, the project is designed to provide centralised operational coordination across Nigeria’s gas value chain, strengthen emergency response management and enhance transparency in gas infrastructure operations.
A statement signed by Ifeanyi Nwoko, Head, Media and Publicity of ICRC disclosed that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Senator Ekperikpe Ekpo, inaugurated the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) to drive the initiative’s implementation in alignment with the presidential directive.
The statement listed members of the PSC as 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.
It also explained that the Joint Technical Working Group comprises technical, legal and institutional representatives from relevant agencies and the private proponent, specifically tasked with advancing preparatory processes in line with regulatory requirements in the PPP framework.
