NNPC partners Sahara Group to increase supply across West Africa
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
WAGL Energy, a joint partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and Sahara Group, plans to construct jetties across West Africa to increase in the region the supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) also called cooking gas.
WAGL Energy Managing Director Emmanuel Ubani said discussions are at advanced stages for the first lot as part of efforts by WAGL to utilise opportunities in energy transition.
Ubani acknowledged growing cooking gas demand in Africa and stressed that more policies and investments are required to promote and deepen it rural communities on the continent.
For cooking gas adoption to rise to a significant or dominant market position in Sub-Saharan African countries, an enabling environment for the sector must be put in place, he stressed in a statement issued by Sahara Energy.
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Elements of enabling environment
Ubani listed elements in an enabling environment as infrastructure – both liquefaction and regasification plants – gas distribution, pipelines and/or gas distribution trucks, cylinder distribution and/or segmented local distribution to individual houses and industries, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
“All parts of the value chain must be in place and functional, that is, a distribution system to enable feasible access for the users must exist, a ready and vibrant market network and most importantly, acceptable and accommodating uses of the alternative energy source.
“Ensuring this requires both public and private investments at a level that allows for economies of scale, supporting in making the sector commercially viable,” he added.
Gas export opportunities
European Union (EU) ambassadors to Nigeria have urged the NNPC to sell more natural gas to the continent and also canvassed for strengthening EU partnership with Nigeria in the energy sector.
“Nigeria is the fourth gas supplier to Europe. At least 40 per cent of the Nigerian LNG [liquefied natural gas] is exported to Europe.
“We are not only major clients for Nigeria, we are also major partners in the oil & gas sector because some of the companies that are working with you are from Europe.
“So, we share the same interest and same objectives,” said EU Ambassador to Nigeria Samuela Isopi, who spoke for the group when they had a meeting with NNPC officials in Abuja.
