The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, on Thursday, stated that it is putting in place a number of measures to ensure that new power plants are built from its infrastructural development projects.
In a statement in Abuja, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, specifically stated that it was keen on using some of the new projects like the 614 kilometer Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano, (AKK), Gas Pipeline Project, to open up not only the gas corridor but also ensure that power plants that are built can inject stability into the national grid.
Baru, who was addressing participants at the just concluded World Gas Conference in Washington DC, United States, said, “NNPC is driving a number of initiatives which included collaborating with the National Assembly to address the fiscals; putting the required infrastructure in place as well as ensuring that new power plants are built.”
He further stated that as part of the new gas development initiatives, investors were expected to come in and establish fertilizer and petrochemical plants. “On our part, we are keen on ensuring the sanctity of all our contracts. This, surely, will ultimately kick-start our industrial development,” he added.
In his own presentation, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, stated that the Nigerian oil and gas industry is currently creating an enabling environment that would enable investors contribute their quota towards making Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources serve as launching pad for the nation’s industrialization take off.
Kachikwu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, said it was imperative for Nigeria to market its enormous gas resources at the global level based on the need to get industries in the country working.
He noted that ideas, experience and lessons learnt from other countries at the conference would spur Nigeria to dismantle all obstacles which, over the years, have been slowing down the nation’s gas-to-power aspirations and industrialisation.
He said, “Without power, we cannot have industrialization in our country. We are therefore committed to making the best use of what we have in terms of gas potentials and ensure that gas,indeed,drives the power sector,” Kachikwu stated.
Speaking in the same vein, Managing Director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Mr. Tony Attah, said the role of the company was very critical in achieving the enormous potentials within the gas sector.
Attah said as the biggest off-taker of gas nationwide, the NLNG remained committed to safely producing its 22 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA); bringing value to shareholders; growing capacity of staff in respect of Train 7 as well as keeping pace with the rest of the world.
In his remarks, the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Mordecai Ladan, said as a regulator, the Department would soon announce new ways of doing business in its areas of purview, stressing that gas domestication was keen to the Department’s agenda.
Ladan observed that now gas flare-out across the industry had reduced drastically from 12 per cent to 9 per cent.
“We are trying to make sure that companies come up with projects that will utilize the gas, and in turn, reduce gas flaring in the process.
Similarly, President of the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), Mr. Dada Thomas, said renewables and natural gas complement each other, thus what the nation needed was a high energy mix, according to him.
“For Nigeria, gas is clearly the direction. We must all do our bit to attract foreign direct investment around our 192 trillion cubic feet (TCF) proven gas reserves which we hope shall be translated into energy security, power generation and above all value addition for our teeming populace,” Thomas concluded.
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