The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating the completion of the multi-billion-dollar Brass Gas Projects in Bayelsa State as part of efforts to industrialise Nigeria through the strategic use of natural gas.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, disclosed this on Thursday during a two-day All-Party Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Brass Gas Projects held in Abuja.
In a statement signed by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, Ekpo said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to make natural gas the foundation of Nigeria’s energy transition, economic diversification, and industrial development.
According to the minister, the projects — which include the Brass Methanol Plant, Gas Processing Plant, and the Brass Free Zone Infrastructure — will collectively form the core of the proposed Brass Oil and Gas City. The planned city is expected to serve as a model for gas-based industrial growth across the country.
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) remains fully committed to supporting the Brass Projects through policy facilitation, regulatory coordination, and stakeholder engagement,” Ekpo said. “We are particularly focused on ensuring that frameworks such as gas supply and offtake agreements, licensing, and infrastructure integration are streamlined and bankable.”
He explained that the workshop was organised to harmonise stakeholder interests, address unresolved issues, and chart a clear roadmap for achieving financial closure and project take-off.
Ekpo added that the successful execution of the Brass Gas Projects would deliver tangible economic and social benefits to the Niger Delta region through job creation, infrastructure development, and community empowerment. He also noted that the initiative would boost Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the gas and petrochemical markets.
The minister commended the partnership between the Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Renaissance Joint Venture, and Afreximbank, describing it as a model of effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.
“The Federal Government, through my ministry, will continue to provide all necessary policy and regulatory support to bring the Brass Projects to fruition,” he assured.
Also speaking at the workshop, the Managing Director of Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited, Ben Okoye, praised the government’s renewed commitment to the project. He said the Brass Methanol and Gas Processing Plants would generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, promote technology transfer, and stimulate ancillary industries in the Niger Delta.
“These projects symbolise the productive collaboration between government, investors, and host communities. We must remain focused on achieving a timely financial close,” Okoye said.
The Brass Methanol Project, conceived over a decade ago, is a $3.6 billion gas monetisation and industrialisation initiative designed to convert Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources into methanol and other petrochemical products. Located on Brass Island in Bayelsa State, the project aims to process over 350 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) into 10,000 metric tonnes of methanol daily.
When completed, the project is expected to significantly increase Nigeria’s domestic gas utilisation, reduce flaring, and enhance non-oil export earnings. Though it faced several delays in the past due to funding constraints and investor concerns, the initiative has gained fresh momentum under President Tinubu’s “Decade of Gas” policy framework.
