The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) says it has commenced activities heralding the actualisation of the Federal Government’s declared commitment to gas production due to global demand for reduction in carbon emissions.
The general manager, Corporate Communications and zonal coordinator of NCDMB Ginah Ginah, who made the disclosure while declaring a one-day capacity building workshop for media stakeholders in the South-South region recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State noted that the government’s strategy is to use gas as the country’s fuel transition.
At the workshop with the theme, ‘Enhancing Competencies to Support Nigerian Content in a Gas Economy’, the general manager stated that the ministry of Petroleum Resources has backed this position with bold policies such as the national gas expansion program, gas network code and flares commercialisation programme.
He said investments by the agency were helping to create employment opportunities for Nigerian youths, catalyze the local economy and achieve the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap.
Ginah said, “As a responsive agency, the NCDMB has also taken deliberate steps to actualise the federal government’s declarations in gas and other aspects of the oil and gas value chain. We have partnered with credible investors to develop critical projects in the sector to take Nigeria towards the goal.
“In total, we have partnered with 15 firms to set up projects covering modular refining, gas processing, gas distribution, power generation, manufacturing and others.
“It is worthy of note that 70 percent of our investments are on gas-based activities, especially midstream and downstream gas. Our investments underscore the importance of gas to Nigeria’s economic sustainability, apart from its role in the energy transition”.
The NCDB general manager said gas can lead Nigeria to needed transformation through food sufficiency, improved energy supply and industrialization.
“We know for certain that gas can lead Nigeria to food sufficiency, industrialization, increase in Gross Domestic Product, and electric power sufficiency”.
He explained further:
“Some of our gas-based projects include our partnership with Rungas to produce 1.2million LPG Composite cylinders per annum in Bayelsa and Lagos states and our collaboration with NEDO Gas Processing Company in Kwale, Delta State for the establishment of 80 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant and a 300 million standard cubic feet per day gas gathering hub.
“The Board is also working with Duport Midstream to establish an Energy Park at Egbokor, Edo State. The park would include a 40 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant, 2,500 barrels per day modular refinery and 20 megawatts power plants.
“The Board partnered with the NNPC to invest in Brass Fertilizer and establish 10,000 tonnes per day Methanol Production plant at Odioama, Brass, Bayelsa State, just as we are investing with Triansel Gas Limited in Koko, Delta State to establish a 5,000 Metric Tons per day LPG Storage and Loading Terminal Facility.
“Up north, we supported Butane Energy Limited to establish LPG Bottling Plants and Depots in Abuja and 10 Northern states, just as we are investing with MOB Integrated Services for the construction of the 500 Million Tons Inland LPG terminal in Dikko, Niger State. The project will include the construction of a cylinder refurbishment plant, procurement of 80,000 bottles of LPG cylinders and acquisition of distribution assets.
“Another important partnership is with Southfield Petroleum to establish 200 million metric standard cubic feet of gas processing plant at Utorogu, Delta State. The project will produce 123,000 million tons per annum of LPG, about 10 percent of current LPG demand nationwide.
“In the same vein, the Board is collaborating with Amal Technologies to set up a plant in Abuja to produce Smart Gas/Smoke Detector Alarm devices.”
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared 2021-2030 as Nigeria’s decade of gas and announced the Federal Government’s determination to fully exploit the nation’s abundant gas resources to accelerate the development of the economy.
He made a commitment at the United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (COP26) held in November 2021 at Glasgow, that Nigeria would seek to achieve net zero by 2060, by cutting down greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible.
The government’s declarations are fuelled by the rising global demand for cleaner energy sources and the reduction of global carbon emissions through the reduction in the utilisation of fossil fuels.
