The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has assured of the Federal Government’s determination to delivering the Brass Gas Projects as part of its broader push to industrialise Nigeria through gas utilisation.
Ekpo said the initiative represents President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plan to make natural gas the backbone of Nigeria’s energy transition and economic growth.
Speaking at a two-day All-Party Stakeholders Workshop on the Brass Projects in Abuja, the minister stressed that the Brass Methanol Plant, Gas Processing Plant and the Brass Free Zone Infrastructure will collectively form the nucleus of the proposed Brass Oil and Gas City in Bayelsa State.
He noted that the integrated complex would serve as a model for gas-based industrial development across the country, adding that the workshop was timely, as it will provide a common platform to align stakeholders’ perspectives, resolve pending issues, and chart a path toward financial close and execution.
Ekpo said: “The Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) remains fully committed to supporting the Brass Projects through policy facilitation, regulatory coordination, and stakeholder engagement. We are particularly focused on ensuring that the necessary frameworks, from gas supply and offtake agreements to licensing and infrastructure integration, are streamlined and bankable.”
He further assured that the Federal Government, through his ministry, would continue to provide all necessary policy and regulatory support to bring the Brass Projects to fruition.
”The successful realisation of the Brass Projects will not only strengthen Nigeria’s gas industrialisation agenda but also deliver tangible benefits to the Niger Delta region, in jobs, infrastructure, and community development. It will also position Nigeria more competitively in the global gas and petrochemical markets,” he added.
He appreciated the partnership between Brass Fertilizer & Petrochemical Company Limited, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited), Renaissance Joint Venture, Afreximbank, and other financiers for their sustained engagement.
Ekpo tasked participants at the workshop to focus on actionable outcomes, defining responsibilities, closing gaps, and coming up with a clear roadmap toward achieving full financial close and project take-off.
The Managing Director of Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemicals Company Ltd, Chief Ben Okoye, commended the Federal Government for its renewed commitment to the Brass Gas Projects, explaining that the Brass Methanol and Gas Processing Plants will deliver thousands of direct and indirect jobs, foster technology transfer, and stimulate ancillary industries across the Niger Delta region.
Okoye emphasised that the projects remain a symbol of productive collaboration between government, private investors, and host communities, urging all stakeholders to remain focused on achieving a timely financial close.
