NMDPRA Unveils Plans for Digital Gas Distribution Licensing Round by End of 2026
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) plans to hold a digital licensing round for gas distribution areas across the country before the end of 2026. The authority's chief executive, Rabiu Umar, made this announcement at the Gas Investment Forum 2026.
According to Umar, the licensing round will follow the completion of a nationwide gas distribution gridding exercise expected in October. Investors will be able to bid for licenses covering areas mapped out across the country.
The NMDPRA aims to move the natural gas sector away from its current fragmented infrastructure and access system towards a truly open-access regime. Umar emphasized that Nigeria's vast gas reserves must be converted into infrastructure capable of supporting economic activities, as reserves without infrastructure remain untapped potential.