IF fully and properly integrated and executed, he Nigeria Gas Master Plan can about $25 billion investment in gas processing, transmission and downstream gas utilization in the next few years.

Revealing this in a paper delivered at the first Nigerian Gas Association Business Forum 2011 in Lagos titled: "Gas Revolution and its Implementation: Industry and Government Perspectives" , the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Sheik Goni said that the Gas Master Plan's key objective is to encourage the use of gas in power and other industries for multiplier effects, making Nigeria a strategic player in the global gas market and ensuring energy security for the country.

According to him,"Over the next few years, full integration of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan agenda would result in about $25 billion worth of investment in gas processing, transmission and downstream gas utilization and that in pursuant to the drive to achieve the gas master plan, the ministry has among other things developed the franchise agreements, developed gas based industrialization strategy and generated liquefied petroleum gas and renewable energy development strategy.

He said the ministry is presently implementing the Real Time Pipeline System Surveillance (RTPSS) Project, which is aimed at detecting, locating and quantifying pipeline leaks in real time and thereby preventing severe loss of lives and property in the event of pipeline ruptures.

Sheik Goni further said "This project is now 85 percent completed for the gas system and 50 percent completed for the liquid system. The RTPSS for the gas system is expected to be commissioned in October 2011 while the one for the liquid line would be commissioned by the 1st quarter of 2012.

"The ministry is also implementing the project aimed at monitoring in real time the facilities, production and operations of the industry. Presently we are able to see in real time oil and gas production and delivery activities in some of the petroleum installations in Nigeria."This project is intended to enable the monitoring of operations in especially remote locations and to facilitate quick response in the event of system failures.”

Delta state is getting a $16billion investment, which is really nice; its to build Africa's largest ever industrial complex. Another gas producing state Bayelsa will be getting similar and so will Lagos.

Gas will bring in much more money than oil ever did. It will also be the trigger for Nigeria's industrialisation.

One good thing about it too, is that it can't be bunkered like oil.