The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has welcomed the Final Investment Decision (FID) announced on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited and AMNI International Petroleum Development Company Limited for the Ima Gas Development Project.
The Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said at the ceremony at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja that the decision shows what steady policy direction and committed partners can achieve.
“Today’s success is attributable to, His Excellency, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu… Years ago we could not have conceived that today we will be sitting here to celebrate a project if he hadn’t given the executive orders…”
"As the Chief Regulator in the industry, we will enable business, we will unplug obstacles. The President has set the path for us, and we are determined to follow through"
The NUPRC boss said the Commission will keep working with the partners and other stakeholders to make sure the project is delivered on schedule and to the highest standards.
The offshore field was discovered in 1973, and the development is expected to supply about a third of the feed gas for Nigeria LNG's Train 7 expansion.
The Ima field lies in 8 to 10 meters of water off the coast of Rivers State. AMNI, an indigenous Nigerian company, holds a 60% interest.
TotalEnergies holds 40% and is the operator. At plateau the field is projected to produce about 350 million standard cubic feet of dry gas per day. First gas is expected by the end of 2028.
TotalEnergies Managing Director, Mathieu Bouyer, said the investment, which he put at over than $600 million, is a vote of confidence in Nigeria's oil and gas industry. Seven Nigerian financial institutions, including Zenith Bank and UBA, are providing about 77% of the financing.
He said, " It's more than $600 million of investment and a clear vote of confidence into Nigeria and its oil and gas industry. In true confidence also with the potential of the oil and gas people of this country. This decision also reflects the progress made in Nigeria's investment environment.”
“The Nigerian content is therefore subscribed to IMA and all the four main packages here will be handled by local Nigerian contractors and it will be done from Nigeria by Nigerians. The mission is simple.
“It's not only investment in infrastructure, but also in Nigerian companies, Nigerian talents and Nigerian long-term value and industrial capabilities. That value must also be visible in the communities closest to the project. And more than 60% of the work done lo will be done by local community workforce.”
Bouyer said the project could create between $2 billion and $4 billion in value over its lifetime, depending on international prices.
Eniola Akinkuotu
Head, Corporate Communications & Media