The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has signed six strategic agreements with key industry partners in a move aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s gas-based industrialisation, strengthening domestic gas supply and enhancing energy security.
The agreements, signed on the sidelines of the 25th NOG Energy Week in Abuja on Tuesday, include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement (GSAA) with Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), a Gas Sale Agreement (GSA) with UTM Floating LNG (UTM FLNG), as well as three Network Entry Agreements with Chevron Nigeria Limited, AGPC and NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NEPL).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, described the agreements as a major step towards advancing the Federal Government’s gas industrialisation agenda and positioning natural gas as a key driver of economic growth.
He said the partnerships represent more than contractual commitments, stressing that they would unlock new opportunities for industrial development, job creation and long-term energy security.
“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, but more importantly, it has the greatest potential to drive industrial transformation in Nigeria than any other hydrocarbon,” Ojulari said.
According to him, the agreements also reinforce NNPC Ltd.’s commitment to transparency, operational efficiency and the implementation of a standardised framework for nationwide gas utilisation.
He noted that the partnerships would unlock additional domestic gas supply, deepen local content, strengthen energy security and further establish NNPC Ltd. as a preferred partner for strategic investments in Nigeria’s energy sector.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the collaboration between NNPC Ltd. and Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.
Under the MoU, both organisations agreed to extend their partnership beyond gas supply to support the revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and develop local capacity for producing steel pipes required for critical oil and gas infrastructure projects, including the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) and the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) Phase III.
The MoU is built on two key objectives: reviving the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and expanding domestic gas utilisation through the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code.
Complementing the MoU was the execution of a 20-year Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement involving NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NEPL), the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) and ASCL.
Under the agreement, ASCL will receive three million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) of firm gas supply and 47 MMscf/d of interruptible gas supply to power facilities supporting the steel complex.
In another major development, the NNPC Ltd./Seplat Joint Venture signed a 15-year Wet Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement with UTM FLNG Ltd.
The agreement provides for the supply of 200 MMscf/d of gas to the UTM Floating LNG project, ensuring long-term feedgas availability required to secure financing and support a Final Investment Decision expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
NNPC Ltd. also announced the 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 800 MMscf/d of natural gas into Nigeria’s domestic transportation network, boosting supply to power plants, gas-based industries and industrial clusters while improving network flexibility and overall supply security.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen; the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe; and the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
The agreements were concluded during the 25th NOG Energy Week, themed “Advancing Energy Ambitions for Competitive and Resilient Economies,” which focuses on strengthening collaboration to drive Nigeria’s energy transition and industrial growth.