The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced the granting of its first-ever wholesale gas supply licence.

The recipient is Uhuru Trading Limited, a local company, which is now authorised to supply 500mn standard cubic feet of gas daily.

The NMDPRA officially announced this milestone on its verified LinkedIn page, recognising Uhuru as the first company to successfully apply for and receive such a third-party gas licence.

This issuance follows Section 142 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which sets out the guidelines for gas value chain operations. Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of NMDPRA, confirmed that Uhuru had successfully fulfilled all the necessary requirements for approval.

At the licensing ceremony, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria's Minister of State for Gas, commended NMDPRA for its commitment to implementing the PIA and promoting sustainable growth in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry.

Farouk Ahmed stressed that this licence issuance reflects the government's determination to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and various types of capital into the local economy, ultimately improving the quality of life for Nigerians.

Having obtained this third-party gas supply license, Uhuru can now buy natural gas directly from different sources. This allows them to distribute and sell wholesale gas to a wide range of customers and gas distributors throughout Nigeria.