Energy
FG To Maximize Local Content Opportunities In Midstream/Downstream Sectors
Lucky MOMOH
ABUJA-THE Federal Government has expressed firm determination to fully catalyze investments in the midstream and downstream sectors of the petroleum sector, with a view to creating employment for teeming youths and maximizing local content opportunities.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva gave assurance recently when he declared open the Nigerian Content Midstream and Downstream Oil and Gas Summit organized by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Lagos.
He stated that the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry is currently in the phase of exploring the vast opportunities and potentials associated with the midstream and downstream sectors and commended the NCDMB for intervening to foster dynamism in the sectors through the summit.
He acknowledged that the midstream and downstream sectors did not receive the deserved focus in the past but hinted that the situation was set to change because the recently enacted Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) contains fiscal incentives to attract investment in gas development, distribution, penetration, and utilization and provides exceptional care for host communities. He charged industry stakeholders to take determined steps to unlock natural gas and domestic production potentials and use the opportunities in the gas ecosystem to drag millions of Nigerians out of energy poverty.
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote affirmed that the Board is keen to maximize Local Content opportunities in the midstream and downstream sectors because they offer the greatest number of employment opportunities as well as longevity of jobs in contrast to the upstream sector of the oil industry.
“This provides means to absorb outputs of our Human Capacity Development programs in the form of job opportunities,” he added.
He also stated that the entry barrier for businesses to partake in the midstream and downstream sectors of the industry is relatively lower compared to the upstream sector and there are vast business opportunities in the midstream to downstream sectors, ranging from processing, transportation, storage, and distribution that could be started on small scale and later scaled up to bigger enterprises thereby growing in-country capacities and capabilities.
According to Wabote, the profit margin is also attractive in the midstream and downstream, especially in the LPG distribution value chain and this serves as an incentive to attract a wider number of players.
He emphasized the need to maximize the potentials of the midstream and downstream sectors to ensure energy security and national pride, adding that the direct social impact of a productive and efficient midstream and downstream sector of the oil and gas industry also needs to be maximized.
The Executive Secretary further explained that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act established NCDMB as the regulator of Nigerian Content in the entire spectrum of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He added that the Board’s regulatory role is not to stifle the industry but to provide enabling, and inclusive, business environment for businesses to thrive with the active participation of critical stakeholders.
Giving a rundown of the Board’s achievements in the midstream and downstream sectors, the Executive Secretary listed the partnership with Waltersmith, which resulted in the delivery of the 5,000barrels per day modular refinery in Imo State, the 2,500barrels per day Duport Modular Refinery located in Edo State, which is due for commissioning this year as well as the 2,000barrels per day Atlantic Refinery and the 12,000barrels/day Azikel Hydro-skimming Refinery both in Bayelsa state, which are under construction.
Other achievements of the Board include the partnership with the NNPC to construct a 50,000liters petroleum products terminal in Brass, the partnership with Bunorr Integrated Energy Ltd for the establishment of 48,000 liters/day Base Oil Production Facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which is due for commissioning this year and the ongoing construction of the Eraskon Lube Oil factory in Gbarain, Bayelsa State
Dwelling on the LPG value chain, the Executive Secretary stated that the Board had gone into partnership with some investors to develop some projects. Some of them included the partnership with NEDO Gas Processing Company in Kwale, Delta State for the establishment of 80MMscfd of Gas Processing Plant and a 300MMscfd Kwale Gas Gathering hub, partnership with Triansel Gas Limited in Koko, Delta State for the establishment of 5,000MT LPG Storage and Loading Terminal Facility and partnership with Brass Fertiliser for the development of a 10,000MT/day Methanol Plant at Odiama in Brass.
Others are the partnership with Butane Energy to roll out LPG Bottling Plants and Depots in Abuja and 10 northern states and partnership with Southfield Petroleum for the establishment of 200 MMscfd gas processing plant at Utorogu, Delta State to produce 123,000MTPA of LPG, which is about 10 percent of current LPG demand nationwide.
Other investments include the partnership with MOB Integrated Services for the construction of the 500MT Inland LPG terminal which is currently in operation at Dikko, Niger State as well as the partnership with Amal Technologies to set up a plant in Abuja to produce Smart Gas/Smoke Detector Alarm devices.
Energy
Nigeria’s First Energy Infrastructure Map for Unveiling at NOG 2026
In what is expected to provide investors and industry stakeholders with a detailed overview of Nigeria’s energy assets and opportunities, her first comprehensive Gas and Power Infrastructure Map will be unveiled at the 25th edition of NOG Energy Week.
It was gathered that the publication, developed by the Gas for Africa programme in partnership with NNPC Limited, will be launched during the annual energy conference in Abuja and is being positioned as a major step towards improving transparency and investment decision-making in Nigeria’s gas and power sectors.
Industry stakeholders have long cited the lack of consolidated and reliable infrastructure data as a major challenge to attracting investment into the sector. The new map seeks to address that gap by providing a single source of information on Nigeria’s gas and power infrastructure, including pipelines, gas processing facilities, power generation assets, LNG terminals and key transmission networks.
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Alongside the infrastructure map, organisers will also release a comprehensive report on Nigeria’s gas sector, which they describe as the most extensive industry intelligence publication ever produced on the country’s gas value chain.
The report examines developments in the sector since 2020 and covers key areas such as the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026, gas reserves and production trends, pipeline infrastructure, capacity challenges, compressed natural gas (CNG), piped natural gas (PNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets, gas-to-power projects and gas-based industrialisation.
According to the organisers, the publication provides an end-to-end assessment of Nigeria’s gas industry and offers critical insights for investors, policymakers and industry operators.
The launch comes at a time when global energy markets are undergoing significant shifts, driven by geopolitical tensions and increasing demand for alternative and secure energy supplies.
Organisers noted that Nigeria is strengthening its position as a major energy player, supported by rising crude oil production, implementation of a new Gas Master Plan and expanding refining capacity.
They said the infrastructure map and accompanying report are expected to help convert investor interest into concrete projects by providing accurate data on existing assets, infrastructure gaps and future opportunities across the sector.
Attendees at NOG Energy Week will be the first to access both publications as government officials, energy executives, investors and industry leaders gather in Abuja for the five-day event.
The conference is also expected to feature investment discussions, joint venture announcements, memorandum of understanding signings and project partnerships aimed at advancing Nigeria’s energy development agenda.
With preparations gathering momentum ahead of the event, organisers said NOG Energy Week 2026 will provide a platform for stakeholders to examine the future of Nigeria’s energy sector and its role in Africa’s broader energy transition and industrial growth.
Energy
OPEC+ Increases Production Quotas for July
OPEC+ ministers decided Sunday to increase oil quotas by a total 188,000 barrels per day for July, in a move analysts said would be unlikely to have an impact on prices sent higher by the Mideast war.
Jorge Leon, analyst at Rystad Energy, said ahead of the expected increase that it “means very little while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed”.
He added: “The market is not short of quota announcements; it is short of physical barrels that can actually move. In that sense, the 188,000 barrels per day increase would be more of a policy signal than a real supply boost.”
The hiked production output was agreed Sunday in a video meeting of oil ministers from key OPEC+ countries Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, a statement from the organisation said.
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The increase was similar to ones decided in previous months.
The OPEC+ statement said the latest agreed hike was “to support oil market stability” but that the seven countries also saw an opportunity “to accelerate their compensation” in a time of historically high oil prices.
It added that the ministers “reaffirmed the importance of adopting a cautious approach and retaining full flexibility to increase, pause or reverse the phase out of the voluntary production adjustments, including reversing the previously implemented voluntary adjustments announced in November 2023”.
Leon, at Rystad Energy, said that OPEC+ was wary in case the Mideast war changes, and Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz eases.
“When the Strait of Hormuz reopens, the market could move very quickly from fear of shortage to fear of surplus,” he said.
“Returning OPEC+ supply, a stronger US shale response and weaker demand after a period of very high prices could leave the market with a very large oversupply problem,” he said.
AFP
Energy
Nigeria, Algeria, Niger Back Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project
Nigeria, Algeria, and Niger have expressed joint commitment to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) project, which is set to significantly strengthen Africa’s regional energy security.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made the disclosure on Thursday at the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the TSGP Steering Committee in Algiers.
The high-level session included ministerial delegations from the three participating nations and a strategic consultation with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the successful delivery of the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project, describing it as a landmark initiative that will redefine energy security across the continent.
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According to Ekpo, technical and commercial discussions are ongoing among stakeholders to reinforce the regulatory and financial frameworks required for the project’s implementation.
He noted that officials from the three countries have reviewed the latest feasibility reports and officially resolved that the project proceeds immediately into its next development phases.
“This project means a lot to the three countries in terms of industrialisation and job creation,” Ekpo asserted.
“We’ve talked about the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, and the President of Algeria has expressed his interest in the completion of the project,” Ekpo said. “I assure him that on the part of Nigeria, we will do everything possible to ensure the project sees the light of day.”
The minister pledged to work closely with his counterparts in Algeria and Niger, as well as the respective national oil companies — including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and Algeria’s Sonatrach — to accelerate project implementation.
On his part, President Tebboune reaffirmed Algeria’s full diplomatic and financial commitment to the pipeline.
He expressed confidence that with the robust political will demonstrated by the three governments, the pipeline will seamlessly move from planning to execution.
Tebboune noted that when completed, the transnational pipeline would deliver energy security, lucrative investment opportunities, and sustainable economic development for millions of people across Africa and European export markets.





