The NNPC/Heirs Energies OML 17 Joint Venture has become the first operator to seal agreements and structured commercial execution for Nigeria’s Gas Flare Commercialisation initiatives under both the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme , NGFCP, and the approved non-NGFCP frameworks.
The milestone signals a major step in Nigeria’s commercialisation and environmental-stewardship drive, setting the stage for flare-gas volumes across OML 17 to be captured and channelled into power generation, industrial use, Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Compressed Natural Gas.
The signing ceremony, held in Lagos, brought together the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission,NUPRC, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited,NNPC, National Upstream Investment Management Services,NUIMS, and five designated gas-offtake firms. It marks a shift from regulatory approvals to practical commercial delivery, anchoring Nigeria’s gas development priorities and energy-transition goals.
Under the new agreements, Heirs Energies, operator of the OML 17 Joint Venture, will work with approved flare-gas offtakers — AUT Gas, Twems Energies, Gas & Power Infrastructure Development Limited, PCCD, and Africa Gas & Transport Company Limited.
These frameworks seek to eliminate routine gas flaring while converting previously wasted gas into economic value.
Engr. Seyi Omotowa, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NUIMS, representing NNPC Limited, described the development as a tangible expression of Nigeria’s push for gas-based growth.
He said flare-gas commercialisation stands as a strategic tool for boosting energy availability, expanding gas-driven industrialisation and strengthening Nigeria’s standing as a responsible energy supplier.
He praised Heirs Energies for its disciplined execution and sustained investment, noting that the Joint Venture continues to set operational and gas-development benchmarks within the upstream sector.
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Representing the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, an official reaffirmed the regulator’s backing for the project, stressing that flare-gas utilisation remains central to Nigeria’s decarbonisation pathway under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
He said the agreements demonstrate Heirs Energies’ commitment to ending routine flaring across OML 17 while supporting national emission-reduction ambitions.
Heirs Energies’ Chief Executive Officer, Osa Igiehon, highlighted the company’s broader gas-led strategy, emphasising that gas remains pivotal to Nigeria’s development trajectory.
He stated that the JV’s approach combines disciplined investment, regulatory collaboration and partnerships with credible offtakers to transform waste into value, improve domestic energy supply and ensure responsible upstream operations.
The NGFCP and non-NGFCP projects build on recent operational gains by the OML 17 Joint Venture, including a notable rise in gas supply to the domestic market through brownfield interventions and infrastructure optimisation.
The JV has also expanded its host-community initiatives with targeted healthcare support, education programmes and skills-development interventions.
By advancing flare-gas capture and utilisation, the OML 17 commercialisation programme strengthens Nigeria’s position as a gas-powered economy and supports national targets for power generation, industrial expansion and sustainable resource management.
NAN
