The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed plans to unlock nearly three gigawatts of power-generation potential and attract between $1.5 billion and $2 billion in investments through its gas flare commercialisation programme.
The initiative is also expected to generate more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs while strengthening domestic gas supply, expanding clean cooking access and supporting Nigeria’s energy security.
The Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed the programme’s potential during an energy conference organised by the Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday.
Eyesan joined other industry leaders, including the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mallam Rabiu Umar, and the Minister of Power, Joseph O. Tegbe, at the conference, where discussions focused on integrating the oil, gas and power sectors to drive national transformation.
Addressing the critical relationship between gas supply and electricity generation, the NUPRC highlighted its regulatory interventions to improve domestic gas availability and make the resource more accessible to the local market.
The Commission said it was enforcing the Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation to ensure that adequate volumes of gas were supplied to meet domestic demand, particularly for power generation and industrial activities.
It is also collaborating with the Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited (GACN) on a gas swap framework designed to reduce costs and improve the availability of petroleum products in the country.
A major component of the Commission’s strategy is the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), through which it has issued Permits to Access Flare Gas (PAFG) to 28 companies.
The first phase of the programme is projected to capture more than 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd) that would otherwise have been flared, converting the waste resource into commercially useful energy.
Beyond its contribution to electricity generation, the programme is expected to deliver significant economic benefits through fresh investments, job creation and the development of supporting industries.
The anticipated annual production of approximately 170,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is also expected to support clean cooking initiatives and improve household energy access.
The NUPRC noted that the programme’s benefits would extend across the energy value chain, creating opportunities in engineering, construction, operations and related services.
With more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs projected, the gas flare commercialisation initiative is positioned to contribute to economic activity while supporting efforts to reduce gas flaring and maximise the value of Nigeria’s natural gas resources.
The discussions at the Lagos conference underscored the importance of closer coordination across the upstream petroleum, gas processing and electricity sectors to translate Nigeria’s abundant gas resources into reliable power supply, industrial growth and broader national development.
