FG, NNPCL, NESG endorse Portland Gas Mini-LNG and LCNG project in Gwagwalada

2026-02-26 - 16:47

By Progress Godfrey ABUJA — The Federal Government, NNPC Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), and key investment partners have officially backed Portland Gas Limited’s proposed Mini-LNG and LCNG facility in Gwagwalada, Abuja, highlighting the project as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s gas-driven industrial growth and energy security strategy. The endorsement came during a stakeholders’ investment workshop on Thursday in Abuja, convened by Portland Gas to examine opportunities around mini LNG and LCNG infrastructure along the Abuja-Lokoja corridor. The Gwagwalada station is expected to be completed within 16 months. Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, represented by Tosin Coker, noted that the project aligns with the Federal Government’s push to convert gas policy into tangible economic outcomes. He said Nigeria’s gas transition requires infrastructure, capital mobilisation, and execution. “Nigeria’s CNG revolution is not a slogan. It is a system being built, and with stakeholders like you, we will accelerate it responsibly, commercially, and sustainably,” Ahmed said. He described the Gwagwalada Mini-LNG and LCNG station as an integrated solution to expand gas availability, accessibility, and scalability beyond pipeline limitations for fleet operators, logistics corridors, and industrial users. NNPCL’s Executive Vice President for Gas, Power, and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, represented by Suleiman Kachallah, said the project aligns with Nigeria’s Gas First strategy under the Decade of Gas agenda and the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026. Ogunleye emphasized that Nigeria aims to increase national gas production to 10 billion cubic feet per day by 2027, scaling to 12 billion by 2030. He noted that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, particularly the Ajaokuta-Gwagwalada segment expected to deliver first gas by July 2026, would transform energy supply in northern Nigeria, unlocking industrial demand, power generation, auto CNG, and mini LNG expansion. NNPCL will supply piped gas to Portland Gas’ Gwagwalada plant. CEO of Portland Gas Limited, Folajimi Mohammed, said the workshop was crucial for attracting equity participation to accelerate gas infrastructure development beyond government funding. He highlighted the strategic timing of Gwagwalada, positioned to leverage the incoming AKK pipeline, creating jobs and commercial opportunities for the local community. Chairman of NESG, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, described Nigeria’s gas transition as a productivity and competitiveness imperative. He stressed that high energy costs, with over 80 percent of manufacturers relying on self-generation, hinder industrial growth, inflate costs, and constrain exports and job creation. Yusuf emphasized that domestic gas adoption must drive lower logistics costs, industrial growth, and regional trade under the AfCFTA framework. The Gwagwalada Mini-LNG and LCNG project is now positioned as a strategic initiative to expand domestic gas infrastructure, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and support Nigeria’s long-term energy and economic goals.