Tinubu Orders Private Funding for Gas Command Centre

President Bola Tinubu has directed that the proposed National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) be financed entirely through private investment under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.

The directive means no public funds or sovereign guarantees will be used for the project. “The National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre must be fully financed by the private proponent, with no recourse to public funds,” said Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

Ewalefoh disclosed the order during the inaugural meeting of the Project Steering Committee, which will oversee implementation. He explained that the President’s instruction is aimed at promoting fiscal discipline while encouraging private sector participation.

“Technology alone does not guarantee viability. Automation in itself does not make a project bankable,” Ewalefoh cautioned, stressing that every proposal must pass through a structured PPP framework testing feasibility, risk allocation, affordability, and sustainability.

He added that the process would ensure public interest, value for money, and strict regulatory compliance at every stage. “Public interest, value for money, financial prudence and strict regulatory compliance will guide every stage of this process,” he said.

The NGCC is expected to serve as a central platform for monitoring and coordinating gas infrastructure nationwide, strengthening emergency response and improving transparency in operations.

To advance the project, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, inaugurated a Project Steering Committee and a Joint Technical Working Group. The committees include representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC Limited, regulators, and the private project promoter.