Nigeria National Gas Policy.

This National Gas Policy is a sectoral document aiming to (i) define the policy of the Government in respect of natural gas endowment; (ii) establish its medium to long-term targets for gas reserves growth and utilization; (iii) record strategies to be pursued to ensure the successful implementation of the policy following Nigeria's national socio-economic development priorities. The Gas Policy aims to transition Nigeria from an oil-based to an oil and gas-based industrial economy by separating government and private sector roles, establishing a single independent petroleum regulatory authority, implementing legal separation of upstream and midstream operations as well as gas infrastructure ownership and trading, adopting a project-based domestic gas development approach, prioritizing maintenance and safety culture, adhering to international environmental best practices, fostering strong linkages with electricity, agriculture, transport, and industrial sectors, ensuring payment discipline throughout the energy chain.
The Policy outlines several strategic objectives covering the following (i) Communication, to effectively communicate the vision and the gas policy both internally and externally; (ii) Resource Development, identifying new gas resources, grow reserves, and diversify gas supplies from the Niger Delta, offshore areas, and inland basins, while also aiming to eliminate gas flaring; (iii) Policy Framework, establishing a clear and comprehensive policy, institutional, legal, and regulatory framework, including gas policy, legislation, a regulatory authority, and secondary legislation; (iv) Investment and Market Growth through the creationf of an environment conducive to investment and market growth through a clear, consistent, and investor-friendly legal and regulatory framework, investment promotion, infrastructure support, a favorable fiscal environment, and facilitating accelerated access to gas resources for willing investors; (v) Resource Optimization, discouraging wasteful practices while encouraging optimization among resource owners, such as joint development of gas discoveries and infrastructure by multiple licensees when economically beneficial; (vi) Value Maximization by establishing linkages to the power, industrial, agriculture, transportation, and other strategic sectors, promoting gas-based industrialization, and targeting high-value downstream export markets; (vii) Human Resource Development in the petroleum sector through international training, enhanced national petroleum education, and competency development via education, practical experience, apprenticeship schemes, graduate training, and Technical, Vocational, Educational Training (TVET); (viii) Best Practices implementation in operations, particularly in maintenance, health, and safety; (ix) ensuring Good Governance throughout the industry; (x) Gas Infrastructure Development to support the overall growth of the gas sector.