President Bola Tinubu recently inaugurated three critical gas projects in Delta and Imo states, emphasizing the need to reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on petrol and diesel in favor of more efficient natural gas resources.
Speaking virtually at the commissioning of the expansion of the Ashtavinayak Hydrocarbon Limited (AHL) Gas Processing Plant in Kwale, Delta, the Assa North-Ohaji (ANOH) Gas Processing Plant in Ohaji-Egbema, and the 23.3km ANOH to Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Custody Transfer Metering Station Gas Pipeline Projects, Tinubu highlighted the importance of these projects in advancing Nigeria’s transition to cleaner and more efficient fuels.
He mentioned his administration's commitment to gas for prosperity and emphasized the significance of these projects in boosting the industrial base and creating employment opportunities. Tinubu also stressed the government’s intention to leverage Nigeria’s abundant gas resources to drive economic growth, highlighting the move towards vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a step in that direction.
Tinubu assured that these projects are just the beginning, with the federal government intensifying efforts to realize the potential of gas for prosperity in the country. He also emphasized the government’s support for domestic gas utilization, increased power generation capacity, industrial revitalization, and the creation of new economic opportunities.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo highlighted the government’s efforts to champion the utilization of gas as a transition fuel, in line with the goal of achieving clean energy efficiency and security by 2060. He emphasized the importance of eliminating fuel subsidies and increasing spending in upstream and midstream gas development to promote the use of gas as a more cost-effective and cleaner alternative to diesel and gasoline.
The projects were described as crucial facets of the Decade of Gas initiative, with the federal government’s intervention policy in the gas sector leading to a significant increase in domestic gas production. The commissioning was also seen as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to growing the domestic utilization of natural gas for power generation and overall rapid industrialization of Nigeria.
The completion of these projects was celebrated as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s transition to cleaner fuel, which will positively impact the economy and enhance the country's competitiveness globally.
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