The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is taking a central role in implementing Nigeria’s National Gas Infrastructure Command Centre (NGCC) strictly under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, as directed by President Bola Tinubu. ICRC’s Director-General, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, emphasized at the inaugural Project Steering Committee meeting that the initiative requires zero public funding and no government contingent liabilities, with full private-sector financing.
ICRC’s Key Responsibilities
- Regulatory Oversight: ICRC will enforce presidential terms and PPP procedures, rigorously testing proposals for feasibility, risk allocation, affordability, and sustainability to ensure public interest, value for money, and financial prudence.
- Structured Guidance: Ewalefoh stressed that technology and automation alone don’t make projects viable; every stage demands disciplined preparation and compliance, even for strategically vital initiatives like NGCC.
- Committee Involvement: ICRC representatives serve on the newly inaugurated Project Steering Committee (chaired by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas)) and Joint Technical Working Group, alongside agencies like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and NNPC Limited, plus the private promoter.
The NGCC aims to centralize real-time monitoring, coordination, emergency response, and transparency across Nigeria’s gas value chain—pipelines, facilities, and flows—aligning with the Decade of Gas agenda and Petroleum Industry Act reforms to boost economic growth, power, and industrialization without straining public resources.
