The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 15-year gas supply framework for UTM Offshore Limited, pledging to mobilise Niger Delta communities to support the take-off and long-term success of Nigeria’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas project.
PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, disclosed the forum’s commitment in a letter of appreciation to President Tinubu over the approval, describing the development as an opportunity to change the economic fortunes of the Niger Delta through indigenous participation in the gas industry.
The proposed multi-billion-dollar FLNG project is planned for offshore Akwa Ibom State and is being promoted by UTM Offshore, an indigenous energy company founded by Dr Julius Rone.
For PANDEF, however, the significance of the project goes beyond the construction of another energy facility.
Igali said the investment could mark a decisive shift in the Niger Delta’s economic story—from a region primarily associated with the extraction of oil and gas to one increasingly involved in processing, value addition and ownership of major energy projects.
He said the 15-year gas supply framework provides a critical foundation for the project and could strengthen investor confidence in indigenous gas development.
According to PANDEF, the construction phase alone has the potential to generate substantial employment and stimulate a network of businesses and economic activities across the region.
The forum also believes the project could encourage more young entrepreneurs from the Niger Delta to invest in the development and beneficiation of the region’s natural resources.
Igali specifically praised Rone’s involvement, saying the emergence of a relatively young Niger Delta entrepreneur behind such a major project should inspire others to pursue ambitious investments in the region.
PANDEF further linked the project to the broader challenge of gas flaring, expressing optimism that greater commercial utilisation of Nigeria’s gas reserves would contribute to reducing the environmental burden that has plagued oil-producing communities for decades.
But the forum’s most significant pledge was directed at the grassroots.
Igali assured President Tinubu that PANDEF would work to galvanise support among Niger Delta communities, particularly in Akwa Ibom, to ensure that the project enjoys the right environment for commencement and sustained operations.
The commitment could prove important as major energy projects in the Niger Delta often depend not only on government approvals and financing but also on cooperation among host communities, traditional institutions and other local stakeholders.
PANDEF urged the Federal Government to continue providing the necessary cooperation to enable UTM Offshore to deliver the project within its projected timeline.
For the regional body, the UTM FLNG project represents an opportunity to demonstrate that the Niger Delta can be more than the source of Nigeria’s energy wealth—it can increasingly become a centre of indigenous investment, industrial production and economic opportunity.