COST – BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR NIGERIAN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE INVESTMENT

This paper performs cost-benefit analysis of a pipeline infrastructure project based on a given natural gas demand in order to estimate the net present value and payback time for natural gas pipeline investment in Nigeria. The result of the cost-benefit analysis indicates a positive net revenue and net present value (NPV) at the current regulated transport cost and availability factor for gas pipelines in Nigeria. However, with a payback period of 14 years, a natural gas pipeline project in Nigeria is likely to lose-out investment capital to other competing investments within the oil and gas sector. Scenario analysis indicates that by doubling the regulated transport cost with a 50% tax reduction, the pipeline investment results in a much higher NPV and a payback of 4 years, which is more acceptable to investors.