Bridging energy access gap vital for Nigeria’s economic dev’t – Kyari

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), has underscored the need of bridging the energy access gap to spur economic prosperity of the country.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Malam Mele Kyari stated this at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (SPE OLEF 2024), on Thursday in Abuja.

The annual OLEF forum with the theme: “Stability in the Energy Sector: Integrated Strategies for Infrastructure, Transportation and Security” is being hosted by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

Kyari, in a presentation on industry operations, said NNPC Ltd. was working on developing the right infrastructure to deliver oil and gas to bridge energy access and drive prosperity for Nigerians.

He said the company’s commitment was not just a statutory requirement of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 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 infrastructure projects being undertaken by the NNPC Ltd. to help bridge the energy access gap in Nigeria to include the Obiafu/Obrikom/Oben (OB3) and Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipelines, designed to enhance the nation’s gas supply network.

This, Kyari said, would work on expanding gas supply to the international market primarily through the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd. (NLNG) Train 7 project, while efforts were being made to start Train 8 and various floating LNG initiatives.

The GCEO 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.

He assured stakeholders and investors of the support of President Bola Tinubu, whom he said, “is committed to the gas revolution”.

In his remarks, Mr Salahuddeen Tahir, Chairperson, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council and Head of Asset and Investments Management, NGPIS, underscord the critical role of energy in modern society.

“It’s a trigger for essential services such as transportation, heating, electricity generation, medical services, security, banking services, and communication”.

Tahir said there was the need to develop a diversified and sustainable energy transportation system as a measure for mitigating climate change and enhancing energy security.

The SPE OLEF which debuted in 1991 is focused on contributing to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry policy development in commemoration of the first commercial oil discovery in Nigeria by Shell D’Arcy at Oloibiri, Bayelsa in 1956.