Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), has signed a Network Entry Agreement (NEA) that establishes the contractual framework for natural gas deliveries from the Escravos Gas Plant into Nigeria’s national gas transportation network.
The agreement governs the system entry point into the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) and is designed to ensure safe, efficient and transparent gas transportation in line with the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code.
The NEA defines the operational procedures, technical requirements and information-sharing protocols between the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture’s Escravos Gas Plant and NGIC, which serves as the country’s gas network operator.
The agreement represents another milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to build a more integrated and reliable domestic gas market while strengthening the infrastructure needed to support industrialisation, power generation and economic growth.
Commenting on the agreement, Jim Swartz, Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited, said the partnership demonstrates the commitment of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture to delivering natural gas safely and reliably while advancing Nigeria’s long-term gas development strategy.
“By strengthening the interface between CNL’s Escravos Gas Plant and NGIC’s transportation network, we are helping to enhance energy security, infrastructure efficiency and long-term value creation for Nigeria,” Swartz said.
He noted that the agreement will improve coordination between gas producers and pipeline operators, supporting more efficient gas transportation across the national network.
Also speaking, Olusoga Oduselu, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Chevron Nigeria Limited, said the introduction of a standardised Network Entry Agreement framework aligns Nigeria with international best practices adopted in mature gas markets.
According to him, the framework provides a uniform contractual structure governing gas injection into and offtake from the country’s central pipeline network, improving operational consistency and regulatory compliance.
“The development of Nigeria’s uniform Network Entry Agreement framework places the country among the league of nations whose central gas pipeline transport systems operate under a standardised framework governing gas injection and offtake,” Oduselu said.
He explained that the agreement reinforces the critical oversight role of NGIC as Nigeria’s gas network operator while ensuring that delivery facility operators, including Chevron as operator of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, maintain the integrity, safety and efficiency of the national gas transportation system.
The framework also establishes clear operational responsibilities for all parties involved in gas delivery, reducing operational risks and improving coordination across the gas value chain.
The signing of the agreement supports Nigeria’s broader ambition to expand domestic gas utilisation under its “Decade of Gas” initiative by strengthening the infrastructure and regulatory framework required to transport natural gas efficiently from production facilities to industrial users, power plants and other consumers.
For investors and industry stakeholders, the agreement signals continued progress in implementing market-based reforms that improve transparency, operational reliability and confidence in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving gas sector.
