The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Minister of State for Petroleum Gas has reiterated its commitment towards deepening the natural gas infrastructural development and utilization in the country.

The current stride to achieve this aspirational economic goal is coming from the plan to establish 650MW gas Powered Plant in the Ibom Solutions Gas Hub, Akwa Ibom State.

According to the Minister, the establishment of the gas hub has necessitated his recent visit to India as part of consolidating a direct foreign investment portfolio from a reputable Indian steel manufacturing firm, Jindal Nigeria Ltd.

Hon, Ekperikpe arrived New Delhi, India in the company of Mr. Mele Kyari, GCEO of NNPC Ltd., and were warmly received by Mr. Ahmad Tijani Lawal, Acting High Commissioner for Nigeria to India, and Mr. Mukesh Sharma, Country Head of Jindal Nigeria Ltd.

Further in his disclosure, the Honourable Ekpo stated that the he visited Indian head quarter of Jindal Nigeria Limited to seal the take-off deal of an establishment of the steel plant in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

“Our visit is focused on engaging in strategic discussions with the Jindal Group to advance plans for the establishment of a 10 million tons per annum High Briquetted Iron (HBI) Steel Plant and a 650MW Power Plant in the Ibom Solutions Gas Hub, Akwa Ibom State.He added that this project will require about 450MMscfd of gas to start and aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to gas-based industrialization and driving economic growth in Nigeria ,” Ekperikpe stated

“we secured a significant commitment from the Jindal Group to offtake approximately 450 million metric standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) of natural gas. This agreement underpins a $4 billion investment in a 10 million tonnes per annum Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) Steel Plant, which will be located at the Ibom Solutions Hub Industrial Park (ISHIP), a free zone facility in Akwa Ibom State,” He said,

.Ibom Solution Hub Limited is a partnership of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd – 30%, Solutions Hub Ltd – 50%, and Akwa Ibom State Government– 20% is a fully integrated, real Deepwater Logistics Services project that will offer offshore construction and logistics services to the Eastern flank of Nigeria, the West and Central African Region

Jindal Africa is a fast-growing and significant part of Indian JSP, which in turn is part of the diversified O.P. Jindal Group, which is worth about US$12 billion across the globe.

The industrial conglomerate is a leading global player in the steel, power, mining, coal-to-liquid, oil and gas, as well as infrastructure sectors, employing more than 50 000 people around the world, thus Jindal Africa is a natural fit within the business structures of all the African countries. Jindal African operations span through South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia.