The Federal Government has inaugurated a multi‑agency technical committee to review the $200 billion Integrated Gas, Power and High‑Speed Rail Project, with intent to safeguard national interests, ensure financing credibility and protect Nigeria from unseen liabilities.
The project, Nigeria’s flagship infrastructure initiative under President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” announced on August 2025, is intended to simultaneously upgrade energy supply, industrialize the gas sector, and transform national transport connectivity.
It aims to break the cycle of poor power supply by directly linking Nigeria’s large gas reserves (over 200 trillion cubic feet proven) to power generation and rail electrification.
It is also to de‑congest road networks and reduce transport costs by shifting long‑haul freight and passenger traffic to high‑speed rail, with commercial speeds projected around 200–250 km/h.
The project further aims to position Nigeria as a regional logistics and manufacturing hub by clustering industries along the rail‑gas‑power corridors.
In his opening remarks during the inauguration on Thursday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, stressed that the proposal, put forward by the De‑Sadel (Nig.) Limited consortium in partnership with China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings Limited (Liancai Group), is “too large and too important” to be rushed.
Akume said the project, estimated at about $200 billion is envisioned as a multi‑phase programme integrating gas development, power generation and transmission, and the construction of a 4,000‑kilometre high‑speed rail network linking major economic corridors such as Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Port Harcourt.
“These kinds of projects have the potential to transform Nigeria’s transport infrastructure, strengthen energy security, stimulate industrial growth and deepen national integration,” Akume stated. “But they must also be carefully evaluated to ensure they align with national priorities, are technically sound, financially viable, and fully compliant with Nigeria’s legal and regulatory frameworks.”
He disclosed that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had received inputs from security, financial intelligence and regulatory agencies, especially on the consortium’s financial support arrangements and the profile of the participating entities, hence the need for a coordinated technical review.
The inter‑agency Technical Committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Political & Economic Affairs Office, OSGF, and includes representation from the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Petroleum Resources, Finance, Justice, and Environment; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Debt Management Office (DMO), and others.
The Committee’s terms of reference require it to verify proof of funds and assess financial, sovereign and contingent‑liability risks, as well as review the integrated oil & gas–rail financing model and any proposed oil and gas asset divestments. Members are also tasked with conducting technical and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) due diligence on China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings Limited and its proposed partners China Railway Group Limited/China Railway Engineering Corporation, while ensuring compliance with Public‑Private Partnership (PPP) guidelines, including risk allocation, environmental and social safeguards, and resettlement issues.
Akume urged Committee members to “approach this assignment with the highest level of professionalism, objectivity and patriotism,” adding that “your collective expertise and institutional knowledge will be critical in ensuring that the Federal Government receives relevant recommendations that will guide appropriate decisions at the highest level.” He said the Committee is expected to work diligently and submit its report within the timeframe that would be communicated by the Secretariat.
The SGF made clear that the inauguration of the Technical Committee marks the beginning, not the conclusion, of the review process. Akume said the Committee is expected to “carefully examine all relevant documentation, verify claims made by the project proponents, review the technical, financial, legal and environmental aspects of the proposal, and provide objective, evidence‑based recommendations.”
He reiterated that the Federal Government treats infrastructure investment as a “catalyst for economic growth,” but insisted that it also has a duty to protect national interests through transparency, accountability and rigorous due diligence, especially on large‑scale foreign‑linked proposals.
Managing Director/CEO of De‑Sadel Nigeria Limited, Samuel Ukoh, gave an executive summary of the project, describing it as a “new foundation for infrastructure for this country,” and insisting that the initiative is “about the whole country, about Nigeria,” rather than a private commercial venture.
