Nigeria’s $800 million Ima Gas Project has reached Final Investment Decision, advancing one of the country’s most significant recent upstream gas developments. The offshore project, operated by TotalEnergies alongside Nigerian partner AMNI International, will supply additional feedgas to Nigeria LNG’s Bonny Island complex and support its major Train 7 expansion.
The development also represents a test of Nigeria’s recent oil and gas reforms, which introduced fiscal incentives for non-associated gas projects and sought to reduce contracting delays and development costs.
Key Overview
- The Ima Gas Project has reached a Final Investment Decision valued at about $800 million.
- TotalEnergies holds a 40% interest and operates the development, while AMNI holds 60%.
- The field straddles offshore OML 112 and OML 117 near Bonny Island.
- Production is expected to begin in 2028.
- TotalEnergies targets a plateau of 350 million cubic feet of gas per day, while NNPC describes expected peak output at about 300 million standard cubic feet per day.
- Ima is expected to provide roughly one-third of the gas needed for the NLNG Train 7 expansion.
- Train 7 will increase Nigeria LNG’s production capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum to 30 million tonnes.
- Nigerian companies are expected to play a major role in project construction and development.
$800 Million Project Advances Nigeria’s Gas Strategy
The Final Investment Decision for Ima marks the transition of the offshore gas field from planning into full development.
TotalEnergies holds a 40% stake and serves as operator, while indigenous producer AMNI International owns the remaining 60%. The field lies in shallow waters across OMLs 112 and 117, relatively close to Bonny Island.
Development will use a single offshore platform linked to Nigeria LNG through a 22-kilometre pipeline. First production is expected in 2028.
The project partners expect the field to reach a production plateau of around 350 million cubic feet per day, equivalent to more than 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
NNPC’s separate announcement describes the project as producing about 300 million standard cubic feet per day at peak, meaning the two official statements use slightly different output estimates. Both, however, point to Ima becoming a substantial new source of gas for Nigeria’s LNG industry.
Ima Gas Will Support the Train 7 Expansion
A major strategic role for Ima will be supplying additional feedgas to Nigeria LNG.
Once operational, the project is expected to provide around one-third of the gas required for the ongoing Train 7 expansion at Bonny Island.
Train 7 is designed to increase LNG production capacity by 35%, lifting annual capacity from 22 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes.
Securing reliable feedgas is important because LNG facilities require sustained upstream supply to operate close to their designed capacity. New projects such as Ima therefore connect Nigeria’s upstream gas investment directly with its ambition to expand LNG exports.
The development strengthens a supply pipeline that also includes other recently sanctioned gas projects intended to support domestic demand and export infrastructure.
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Government Reforms Help Unlock Investment
NNPC has linked the project’s investment decision to reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The government announced new oil and gas policy directives in 2024 aimed at improving investment economics and accelerating project development.
Measures included fiscal incentives for non-associated gas, midstream and deepwater projects, alongside efforts to compress contracting processes to around six months and improve cost competitiveness.
Specific implementation guidelines subsequently introduced tax credits and allowances for qualifying gas projects, including greenfield non-associated gas developments in eligible onshore and shallow-water locations.
NNPC said Ima is the fourth major gas project to reach FID under the current administration after Iseni, Ubeta and HI, presenting the development as evidence that the revised investment framework is helping previously undeveloped resources move toward production.
Local Content and Lower-Emission Development
The project also includes a significant Nigerian-content component.
All key contractors are expected to be Nigerian companies, while around 60% of the workforce during development is expected to come from host communities.
Ima has also been designed as a relatively low-cost, lower-emission gas development. Its proposed infrastructure includes electricity supplied from shore, no routine flaring and permanent methane detection and monitoring.
These features could help reduce the field’s operational emissions while keeping development infrastructure comparatively simple.
Why Ima Matters for Nigeria
The Ima Gas Project brings together several of Nigeria’s major energy-policy objectives: attracting upstream capital, expanding domestic gas development, strengthening Nigerian participation and securing feedstock for larger LNG exports.
The NNPC assessment of the $800 million investment also highlights cooperation between AMNI, TotalEnergies and Nigerian financial institutions as a model that could be replicated in future projects.
Attention will now shift from the investment decision to execution. Meeting the targeted 2028 start-up date, delivering the planned production volumes and ensuring sufficient gas reaches Train 7 will ultimately determine how much value Ima contributes to Nigeria’s wider gas and LNG strategy.
Sources: NNPC / TotalEnergies / Nigeria LNG / State House Nigeria / Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission / Reuters
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