The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has underscored the vital significance of closing the energy access deficit in fostering economic prosperity within the country.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, delivered this assertion during his keynote address on industry operations at the 2024 edition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (SPE OLEF), held in Abuja on Thursday. The theme of the address was “Stability in the Energy Sector: Integrated Strategies for Infrastructure, Transportation, and Security.”
Kyari emphasized NNPC Ltd’s commitment to bridging the energy access gap in Nigeria by focusing on the development of appropriate infrastructure to ensure the delivery of oil and gas, thus driving 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 8 billion cubic meters,” Kyari added.
He outlined several infrastructure projects undertaken by NNPC Ltd aimed at narrowing Nigeria’s energy access gap, which include the Obiafu/Obrikom/Oben (OB3) and Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipelines, designed to bolster the country’s gas supply network.
On an international scale, Kyari highlighted NNPC Ltd’s efforts to expand gas supply to the global market, particularly through the NLNG Train 7 project. Additionally, initiatives are underway to initiate Train 8 and various floating LNG projects.
Kyari urged for support in harnessing Nigeria’s abundant gas resources for economic advancement, emphasizing the imperative to bridge gaps in electricity access and clean cooking fuel. He reassured stakeholders and investors of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the gas revolution.
During the event, Engr. Salahuddeen Tahir, Chairperson of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council and Head of Asset and Investments Management at NGPIS, stressed the crucial role of energy in contemporary society, describing it as a catalyst for essential services such as transportation, heating, electricity generation, medical services, security, banking, and communication.
Tahir emphasized the necessity to develop a diversified and sustainable energy transportation system as a means to mitigate climate change and enhance energy security.
The 24th edition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (SPE OLEF) marks its inception in 1991. The forum aims to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry policy, commemorating Shell D’Arcy’s first commercial oil discovery in Nigeria at Oloibiri, Bayelsa State in 1956.