President Bola Tinubu has described the $100 million Southeast gas pipeline as a strategic investment. He spoke at the investment signing ceremony in Enugu on Tuesday. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, represented him. The project is a 400-kilometre pipeline. It will connect gas resources to industrial and commercial centres in Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi.
Nigeria has over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves. The southeast has gas, particularly in Imo’s Ohaji area. It has never been connected to the region’s industrial clusters. Manufacturers in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha rely on diesel and generators. That raises costs and undermines competitiveness. Successive governments promised gas infrastructure. The Southeast Development Commission was established in 2024 to drive regional development. This is its first major project.
Tinubu said the pipeline would strengthen manufacturing and unlock economic opportunities. “The Southeast’s entrepreneurial spirit is one of Nigeria’s greatest economic assets,” he said. “I have always believed that the prosperity of the Southeast is inseparable from the prosperity of Nigeria.” He said gas infrastructure must serve industries, not stop at political boundaries. He cited Aba’s manufacturers, Nnewi and Onitsha’s industrial clusters, Enugu’s enterprises, Ebonyi’s agro-processing and Imo’s gas resources. He said the ambition was to make factories that do not yet exist possible.
The SEDC committed $3 million to the project. It is targeting up to $30 million in aggregate regional participation. The Managing Director, Mark Okoye, said the commission conducted technical, financial and legal due diligence before committing funds. Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi attended through their deputies. Mbah said the SEDC was “a commission whose time has come.” Uzodimma urged residents to consider federal infrastructure investments when voting in 2027.
Callistus Mba represents the project promoter, GasSync. He said the pipeline would run from Ohaji in Imo through Owerri, branch to Aba and Onitsha, and extend to Enugu and Ebonyi. Construction will begin simultaneously at Ohaji and Onitsha to speed delivery. GasSync has identified about 150 prospective customers. Engagement with Geometric Power in Abia is underway. Procurement has begun. Financial close is advancing.
Winners: Southeast manufacturers, who gain cheaper energy. SEDC, which delivers its first project. GasSync, which gains a mandate. The five state governments, which gain investment. Industrial clusters in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha. Losers: Diesel suppliers, who lose customers. Generator sellers, who lose business. States outside the pipeline route. Communities that may face displacement. Critics who see the project as political.
Bottom Line: Four hundred kilometres. One hundred million dollars. Five states. The pipeline is a start. The southeast’s industries need gas. The SEDC needs results. The project must be built. The politics will follow.