The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in collaboration with Shell, TotalEnergies, and Agip, has officially signed an agreement to supply gas to the $3.3 billion Brass Fertiliser & Petrochemical Company Ltd., marking a critical milestone for Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts.
The gas sales-and-purchase agreement was finalised at a ceremony in Abuja, nine years after the project was initially announced. Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the signing as a pivotal achievement in the country’s plan to monetise its vast gas reserves for economic growth.
“This is a significant step towards realising the $3.3 billion Brass Methanol Project, which will transform the host community and boost Nigeria’s economic fortunes,” Ekpo stated. He added that the project would drive industrialisation, attract Foreign Direct Investment, and create thousands of jobs in Nigeria.
Upon completion, the project is expected to generate more than $1.5 billion annually from exports of fertilisers, petrochemicals, and other gas-based products. It will also cut Nigeria’s fertiliser imports by 30%, saving the country approximately $200 million annually in foreign exchange.
NNPCL and its partners will supply about 270 million standard cubic feet of gas daily to the project site located on Brass Island in Bayelsa State, driving forward Nigeria’s ambitious Decade of Gas initiative.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ambassador Nicholas Ella, highlighted the broader economic benefits, including the creation of over 5,000 direct and 35,000 indirect jobs. He noted that the project is aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to end routine gas flaring by 2030, while also contributing $600 million annually to the nation’s GDP, with potential to spur $2 billion in broader economic growth.
NNPC’s Executive Vice President of Upstream, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said this agreement is a key step towards achieving the construction of a 10,000-metric tonne methanol plant, further solidifying Nigeria’s position in the global petrochemical industry.
