By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria’s gas supply will grow by 25 per cent in the coming weeks, in line with the renewed hope agenda of the federal government, to utilise Nigeria’s abundant gas resources towards revamping the nation’s industrial growth, and kickstarting its economic prosperity.
President Bola Tinubu disclosed this on Wednesday while commissioning three critical gas infrastructure projects executed by the Nigerian NationkNNPC Limited and its partners in Ohaji-Egbema, in Imo State and Kwale, in Delta States.
The three projects commissioned include the expansion of the AHL Gas Processing Plant, the ANOH Gas Processing Plant and the 23.3km ANOH to Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Custody Transfer Metering Station Gas Pipeline Projects.
“It is pleasing that approximately, 500 MMscf of gas in aggregate would be supplied to the domestic market from these two Gas Processing Plants, representing over 25 per cent incremental growth in gas supply. In practical terms, this translates into more gas to the Power Sector, Gas-Based Industries, and other critical segments of the economy,” the President added.
The President said from the outset, his administration was clear of its intention to leverage the virtually unlimited capacity of gas to deepen domestic gas utilisation, increase national power generation capacity, revitalise industries, and create multiple job opportunities for economic growth.
Aside from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative aimed at moving Nigerians away from petrol and diesel as vehicular combustion fuel, he said significant progress has also been recorded in incentivising gas development through Presidential Executive Orders.
While congratulating the project partners (NNPC Limited, Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and Seplat Energy for the successful implementation of the three projects, Tinubu particularly charged the NNPC Limited to, as the national energy company of choice, sustain its relentless efforts and record more successes in the energy sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
He described the commissioning as a significant milestone for Nigeria, as it demonstrates his administration’s efforts to accelerate the development of critical gas infrastructure, geared at enhancing the energy supply to boost industrial growth and create employment opportunities.
He said the projects were fully in line with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, and his administration’s quest to grow value from the Nation’s abundant gas assets while concurrently eliminating gas flaring and accelerating industrialisation.
“I wish to assure the citizenry that these are just the beginning, as the federal government is stepping up its coordination of other landmark projects and initiatives that will ensure the earliest realisation of gas-fueled prosperity in our country. Consequently, I wish to assure investors in the energy space that this is an investment enabling government and we will not relent in facilitating the ease of doing business,” the President noted.