NIPCO Gas Limited Deepens South-West Gas Grid to Power Industrial Renaissance
By Yunus Yusuf
By accelerating the build-out of critical gas infrastructure across Nigeria’s South-West, NIPCO Gas Limited is positioning natural gas as the engine of a new industrial awakening—one pipeline at a time.
The Managing Director, Mr. Nagendra Verma, disclosed in Lagos on Friday that construction work on the Ibadan Gas Distribution Project has reached 80 per cent completion, despite logistical and operational headwinds that have moderated the pace of implementation.
Verma reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s energy security and advancing the adoption of cleaner fuels, describing the project as a cornerstone of the region’s economic transformation.
According to him, Nigeria’s energy landscape is undergoing a profound shift under the framework of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which has introduced regulatory clarity, reinforced governance structures, and boosted investor confidence across the oil and gas value chain.
He noted that the Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on domestic gas utilisation, energy affordability, and economic diversification has further elevated natural gas as a critical transition fuel for sustainable development.
Providing further details, Verma explained that, pursuant to a mandate from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), NIPCO Gas Limited, in partnership with NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML), is constructing an 18-inch, 80-kilometre natural gas pipeline from Sagamu to Ibadan.
The project, scheduled for completion between June and July 2026, is expected to significantly enhance gas availability to industrial and commercial consumers in Ogun and Oyo states, as well as adjoining markets.
Verma described the infrastructure as transformative, noting that it will strengthen manufacturing competitiveness, lower production costs for industries reliant on alternative fuels, and catalyse regional economic growth.
“Natural gas remains pivotal to Nigeria’s industrialisation drive,” he said, adding that the project’s strategic importance to South-West development and national energy security underscores the need for sustained collaboration with federal and state authorities to ensure seamless execution.
Beyond Ibadan, Verma also provided an update on the Abeokuta Gas Distribution Expansion Project. In partnership with NGML, the company is developing a gas pipeline network from Sagamu to Abeokuta in Ogun State—an initiative designed to deepen gas penetration across the region.
When completed, the project is expected to accelerate industrial growth in Ogun State, attract fresh manufacturing investments, enhance energy reliability for existing businesses, and boost internally generated revenue.
With steel in the ground and momentum building, NIPCO Gas is not merely laying pipelines—it is laying the foundation for a cleaner, more competitive industrial future in Nigeria’s South-West.
