By Idara Jerome
The 10 million standard cubic feet per day (10 MMSCF/D) Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Mother Station being developed by Nsik Oil & Gas Company Limited at Uquo Isi Edoho, Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has entered a major implementation phase with the arrival of its first consignment of equipment from China.
The delivery, according to the project consultant, Mr. Mkposong Asuquo, marks a transition from the preparatory stages of the project to the installation and integration of the major components required to commence operations at the facility.
Asuquo, who spoke at the project site in Uquo Isi Edoho on Thursday, said the equipment was supplied by China-based Original Equipment Manufacturer, CIMC, following a Factory Acceptance Test conducted by the project team in Jiangsu Province, China, in conjunction with regulators from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
He said the first consignment included compressors, a dehydration unit, filtration equipment, heat exchanger and generating sets, adding that the delivery followed the completion of several critical stages, including land acquisition, site clearing, Environmental Impact Assessment, Front-End Engineering Design and the acquisition of relevant regulatory approvals.
“This is a 10 million scf CNG mother station,” Asuquo said, explaining that the location was strategically selected because of its proximity to existing gas infrastructure, with pipeline connections to gas sources operated by Frontier Energy and Savannah Energy/Accugas.
According to him, the project is being promoted by Nsik Oil & Gas, led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nsikan Johnny, with equity participation from the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), under the supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), as part of efforts to expand gas utilisation infrastructure.
He recalled that the groundbreaking ceremony at Uquo Isi Edoho was performed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, who had assured that the project would quickly progress to the equipment installation stage.
Asuquo disclosed that the facility would operate with four reciprocating compressors, supported by an integrated gas-fired power system and backup generation capacity, stressing that the technical configuration was designed to ensure operational reliability.
“Our marriage with CIMC is for sterling excellence and quality. We want to ensure that what we deliver here meets the highest standards and provides a reliable energy solution for the people and industries that will depend on this facility,” he said.
Beyond the mother station itself, Asuquo said Nsik Oil & Gas was already planning a distribution structure that would take CNG to other parts of the state through daughter and mini stations, with two trailers already ordered for transportation of compressed gas from the mother station.
He explained that the distribution network was expected to serve motorists, businesses and industries, while supporting wider conversion to CNG-powered vehicles and creating opportunities for local enterprise around the emerging gas value chain.
The consultant said the project had also passed through geotechnical investigations, environmental studies, electrical resistivity tests, soil analysis and extensive stakeholder engagement, describing the host communities as important partners rather than mere beneficiaries.
He commended the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, as well as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, for their support, while acknowledging the contribution of the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, led by Mr. Wole Adama, and the NMDPRA. He also appreciated the Akwa Ibom State Government under Governor Umo Eno, the local government and the host community of Uquo Isi Edoho for their support and cooperation.
Also speaking, the representative of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Kufre Sam, said the development represented an important step towards expanding CNG infrastructure beyond a single facility.
Sam, who serves as Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the minister, said the minister had maintained close interest in the project and expected it to be ready for commissioning within the last quarter of 2026.
He said the Federal Government’s push for CNG was designed to expand access to an alternative transportation fuel following the removal of petrol subsidy, adding that the Nsik Oil & Gas facility would have wider economic implications for Akwa Ibom.
“This is not just the mother station; it is going to give birth to daughter stations,” Sam said, explaining that plans were being developed to extend CNG distribution to different parts of the state.
He said the network was expected to generate direct and indirect employment, create opportunities for contractors and businesses, and improve access to CNG for motorists and industries, while disclosing that another CNG mother station had also been approved for Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.
Sam further said the equipment came with a three-year warranty and that Chinese technical personnel would be involved in test-running the facility and training Nigerian workers, creating opportunities for local skills development beyond the immediate operation of the plant.
The release issued by the company also identified Hon. Kufre Sam, Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), as having commended the progress recorded on the project and expressed optimism that the facility would provide a foundation for a broader CNG distribution network across Akwa Ibom.
Sam said the proposed expansion would include daughter stations serving the state’s ten federal constituencies and beyond, bringing CNG infrastructure closer to communities, businesses and industries while supporting greater utilisation of natural gas as a transition fuel.
