H.E. Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2023, serves as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas). Prior, he chaired Ika Local Government and represented Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika in the National Assembly (2007-2011). Whilst in the National Assembly, he was pivotal in committees like Customs Service, National Security, Power, and Niger Delta Affairs. Ekpo, holds a B.Sc in Biology and a Master’s in Environmental Pollution from the University of Calabar, He was very instrumental in the facilitation of Ika's LGA’s connection to the National Grid. With expertise in environmental development and energy transition, he's committed to advancing Nigeria's gas sector as HMSPR (Gas), fostering industrial growth and energy evolution.