Nigeria’s first gas-to-power project unveiled in Andoni, Rivers State

…Minister says plant is to support industrial park, rural electrification

The Federal Government has earmarked the newly built gas-to-power project in a part of Rivers State as targeted at supporting industrial park and rural electrification.

The project was commissioned Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Otakikpo in Andoni local council area of Rivers State by Ekperikpe Ekpo Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas).

The Otakikpo LPG Extraction Plant and 20 megawatts Gas-to-Power Project at the Otakikpo field, PML 11, is said to be the first in Nigeria.

The Minister also described the development of the 20 Mega Watts Gas-to-Power Generation Plant as a significant milestone by the joint venture, which is being deployed to drive the companies’ expanded operations in the area.

He said the excess power will be made available to local industries through the establishment of an Industrial Park, targeting Agro-allied ventures, small and medium scaled enterprises and to power the host communities.

Ekpo commended the companies for the formation of a joint venture with the board of trustees of the Host Community Development Trust Fund (HCDTF) to develop a framework for the distribution of power to the host communities, which he said would stimulate economic activities in the region and improve the standard of living for the host communities.

The Minister further emphasized that the commissioning of the facility has delivered significant environmental and socioeconomic values to the nation in several areas which include flare eradication and reduction of its carbon footprint, improved community wellbeing, job creation and economic inclusion, promotion of local content, energy security, and environmental sustainability. He commended the youths for safeguarding vital infrastructure crucial to attracting more investments to the Niger Delta region.

Read also: Low electricity consumption drags Nigeria’s growth

He said the completion of the LPG extraction plant is pivotal to the vision of transforming the Nigeria economy to a gas-powered economy for the good of all.

He said the presidential mandate to his ministry is to drive the development of gas sector in the country. He said the country has a gas reservoir estimated at 209 trillion cubic feet, ranked eighth in the world, and the largest in Africa, as the global discuss of energy sustainability gathers momentum.

The project was built by the Otakikpo Joint Ventures, comprising of Green Energy (the operator), and Lekoil, it’s technical partner.

Speaking, Olalekan Akinyanmi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lekoil, said the day marked a significant milestone not just for Lekoil and Green Energy International but for Nigeria’s energy future. He said the commissioning of the Otakikpo project was a testament to the power of collaboration, vision, and unwavering commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

The MD went on: “From the very beginning, our partnership has been anchored on a shared mission—to unlock the full potential of the Otakikpo Field, harness our nation’s vast gas resources, and drive economic transformation through reliable power generation.

“What we see here today is a direct result of that synergy. Together, we have demonstrated that when companies align their strengths, expertise, and ambition, we can deliver innovative solutions that benefit not just our stakeholders, but the communities and industries that rely on us.

“I want to express my gratitude to Green Energy International, our partners, the government, and all those who have contributed to making this project a reality.”

On his part, Anthony Adegbulugbe, chairman, Green Energy International Limited, stated that the inauguration of the LPG Extraction Plant is a realization of the commitment of the companies to the Federal Government in the bid to implement a pilot project of the World Bank Gas Flares Reduction Programme (GFRP) based on Small Scale Gas Utilization Programme (SSGUP).

Adegbulugbe, a professor, stressed that the idea was to provide a unique model that would ensure that oil exploration from the field would eliminate gas flares but the associated gas is monetized through utilization for domestic gas, power generation, and other products in the value chain, for the economic advancement of host communities and the nation in general.

He said the plant within the test production is producing up to 60% of it’s installed capacity, and is gradually ramping up, while plans are ahead by the JV to expand their gas footprints into more LPG and LNG to absorb the gas production, with wells coming on stream.

The professor noted that the Otakikpo LPG Extraction Plant is the first Modular LPG Extraction Plant in Nigeria, describing it as a plus, not only for the companies but for the country.

On the gains derived by the communities, a chief, Gad Ekpirikpo, said with the inauguration of the plant, the communities have moved closer to having power supply as agreed with the companies.

Ekpirikpo expressed joy with the feat accomplished by the JV at the Otakikpo Plant saying that it has engaged youths in the area, and is beginning to have a multiplier effect on the economy of the host communities.