Tinubu Orders ICRC To Oversee Gas Command Centre Under Zero-Funding PPP Model

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to oversee the execution of the Federal Government’s National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) strictly under a Public Private Partnership arrangement, making it clear that no public funds or government guarantees will be committed to the project.
‎
‎The directive reinforces the administration’s determination to rely on private capital for major infrastructure development while shielding the treasury from financial exposure. Under the approval, the entire cost of the NGCC will be borne by the private investor without any form of sovereign backing.
‎
‎Director General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, disclosed this during the maiden meeting of the Project Steering Committee, assuring stakeholders that the Commission would enforce full adherence to the President’s conditions and established PPP guidelines.
‎
‎Ewalefoh described the NGCC as a critical national platform intended to enable real time oversight and coordination of Nigeria’s gas assets, but stressed that its strategic value does not exempt it from rigorous project evaluation processes.

‎He noted that innovation and automation alone cannot determine a project’s success, emphasizing that proposals must undergo thorough scrutiny covering feasibility, risk sharing, affordability and long term sustainability before approval for implementation.
‎
‎According to him, considerations such as public benefit, cost effectiveness, financial responsibility and strict regulatory compliance will remain central throughout the project lifecycle.
‎
‎The NGCC, approved as a PPP venture, is expected to serve as a centralized hub for managing operations across the country’s gas value chain, enhance emergency response capabilities and promote greater transparency in gas infrastructure management.
‎
‎In the meantime, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Sen. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has inaugurated the Project Steering Committee and the Joint Technical Working Group to coordinate the rollout of the initiative in line with the presidential directive.
‎
Umbwanko Baba, Edited By Grace Namiji