The Nigerian National Petroleum
Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has emphasised the critical importance of bridging
the energy access gap to the creation of economic prosperity of the country.
According to a statement signed
by the NNPCL Chief Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, and obtained by The
Nation, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, made this
submission in a keynote address on industry operations with the theme:
"Stability in the Energy Sector: Integrated Strategies for Infrastructure,
Transportation and Security," at the 2024 edition of Society of Petroleum
Engineers Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (SPE OLEF) held in Abuja,
yesterday.
To bridge the energy access gap
in Nigeria, Kyari said NNPC Ltd was working on developing the right
infrastructure to deliver oil and gas to drive prosperity for Nigerians.
"We are committed to
developing gas infrastructure across the country," Kyari stated, stressing
that the company’s commitment was not just a statutory requirement of the
Petroleum Industry Act, but a pledge to ensure energy security beyond fuel
supply.
"We are dedicated to
investing in critical infrastructure to enhance economic prosperity by supplying
gas to the domestic market, targeting at least eight billion cubic
meters," Kyari added.
He listed some of the
infrastructural projects being undertaken by the NNPC Ltd to help bridge the
energy access gap in the country to include the Obiafu/Obrikom/Oben (OB3) and
Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipelines, adding that they are designed to enhance
the nation’s gas supply network.
On the global front, Kyari said
NNPC Ltd was working on expanding gas supply to the international market
primarily through the NLNG Train 7 project while efforts were also being made
to kick off Train 8 as well as the various floating LNG initiatives.
He called for support in
leveraging Nigeria's abundant gas resources for economic prosperity,
emphasising the need to bridge access gaps in electricity and clean cooking
fuel.
Also speaking at the event,
Chairperson of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council and
Head of Asset and Investments Management, NGPIS, Engr. Salahuddeen Tahir, was
emphatic of the critical role of energy in modern society, stating: "It's a
trigger for essential services such as transportation, heating, electricity
generation, medical services, security, banking services, and
communication."
Tahir said there was need to
develop a diversified and sustainable energy transportation system as a measure
for mitigating climate change and enhancing energy security.
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