*Asset inches towards FID, to become Nigeria’s largest deepwater devt
*To unlock 175000bpd of oil, 140mmscfd of gas
Peter Uzoho
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its Contractor Parties — Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAE) on Monday executed the Addendum to the Oil Mining Lease (OML 118) Production Sharing Contract (PSC) and the Addendum to the Dispute Settlement Agreement (DSA).
The development marked a major milestone in the advancement of the deepwater Bonga Southwest/Aparo project (BWSAp) towards Final Investment Decision (FID).
NNPCL announced the deals in a statement signed by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Andy Odey.
The execution gives effect to the fiscal and commercial terms approved by the federal government to support the development of BSWAp and it reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to creating a competitive, stable and attractive environment for large-scale deepwater investment.
The milestone follows the approval of the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an important component of the government’s ongoing reforms to enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s deepwater sector and unlock new investment.
NNPCL said the BSWA PSC and DSA Addenda demonstrate the practical impact of these reforms in translating policy into investment and project development.
The company added that BSWAp was expected to be one of Nigeria’s largest deepwater developments, with the potential to attract $15 billion to $21 billion in investment over the life of the project and achieve peak production of about 175 kbopd of oil and 140 mmscfd of gas.
The development is expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy through increased oil and gas production, government revenues, foreign exchange earnings, local content development, employment and expanded opportunities for Nigerian businesses.
Speaking on the milestone, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, said: “The execution of the BSWAp PSC and DSA Addenda demonstrates the effectiveness of President Tinubu’s reforms in translating policy into investment. This is about unlocking a major deepwater project and demonstrating that Nigeria has a competitive fiscal framework and a clear pathway for sustainable investment in its energy sector.
“NNPC Ltd will continue to work closely with the Federal Government, our partners and other stakeholders to ensure that this project delivers maximum value for the Federation and the Nigerian people.”
The Contractor Parties also announced the successful completion of the project’s Pre-Front End Engineering Design (Pre-FEED) phase, marking an important milestone in maturing the technical and commercial scope of the development and positioning the project to progress into the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, subject to applicable partner, assurance and governance requirements.
Following a competitive selection process, a bidder has been identified as the preferred Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) contractor for the BSWA project, subject to completion of applicable partner, regulatory, assurance and governance processes, the statement said.
The national oil firm further said the selection provides a basis for progressing the FPSO concept into FEED and for undertaking the further engineering and commercial work required to mature the project towards FID.
It added that any eventual award of the FPSO Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) contract remains subject to the completion of all applicable approvals and requirements.
“Once operational, BSWAp is expected to become one of Nigeria’s most significant new deepwater production hubs, contributing materially to national oil production and supporting the country’s ambition to sustainably grow oil and gas output over the coming years.
“The project is expected to deliver substantial benefits to Nigeria through billions of dollars of investment, increased participation by Nigerian contractors and suppliers, and significant direct and indirect employment opportunities across engineering, fabrication, offshore construction, logistics and operations.
“BSWAp is also expected to strengthen Nigerian content through increased contracting opportunities for indigenous companies, enhance local fabrication, marine and engineering capabilities, facilitate technology transfer and skills development, and create lasting value across the wider Nigerian economy”, the statement said.
It said the milestone reflects the strong collaboration among NNPC Ltd, the Federal Government, relevant regulatory agencies and the OML 118 Contractor Parties , and reinforces Nigeria’s position as a competitive destination for deepwater investment.
NNPCL reaffirmed its commitment to working with all stakeholders to advance the BSWA project safely, competitively and responsibly, while maximising value for Nigeria and the Nigerian people.