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Gas is remedy for Nigeria’s fast growing population, says NGA

By tanley Opara
03 October 2018   |   3:34 am
The Nigerian Gas Association has said the only remedy to addressing the energy needs of the country’s fast growing population remains the effective use of gas resources. The President, NGA, Mr. Dada Thomas, said for a country growing by over three per cent per annum, “we need energy security, and gas provides the solace.” However,…

A gas plant PHOTO: MYNAH Technologies

The Nigerian Gas Association has said the only remedy to addressing the energy needs of the country’s fast growing population remains the effective use of gas resources.

The President, NGA, Mr. Dada Thomas, said for a country growing by over three per cent per annum, “we need energy security, and gas provides the solace.”

However, Dada said new investments in gas development have been put on hold owing to the proposed reforms in the National Gas Policy.

According to him, government and operators recognise that the first step towards attracting huge gas investments is to provide a legal and regulatory framework that will enable the removal of all the other obstacles.

Thomas said this in Lagos at a press briefing ahead of the association’s bi-annual gas conference slated to take place in Abuja this month.

He said, “As we all know, the passed gas policy proposes reforms so profound that almost every new investment is on hold awaiting the resolution of the questions raised by this legislation.

“Government and operators alike recognise that the first step is to provide a legal and regulatory framework that will enable the removal of all the other obstacles.

As we all know, the passed gas policy proposes reforms so profound that almost every new investment is on hold awaiting the resolution of the questions raised by this legislation.

“The coming NGA bi-annual gas conference holding between October 14 and 16, 2018 awith the theme: ”Shift to Gas Economy: Pace and scale of innovation in the west African sub region,” will provide us with a veritable platform to gauge the current status and the way forward for this all important bill which has dragged the sector down for way too long. Nigeria need to develop all forms of energy to fuel its growth.”

According  to him, turning natural gas into a profit-making venture requires huge investments in infrastructure that address the five component areas of gas availability, gas affordability, deliverability, funding and the legal and regulatory framework.

Thomas stated, “At no time in the history of our industry has natural gas been poised to play a more important role in our country and sub-Saharan African energy picture.

The natural gas revolution is the most significant energy thing in decades of the region’s development.

“The implications of this revolution, with a particular focus on what it means for the West African region, are important for our industry and the region’s economy to grasp.
The benefits of natural gas in meeting our future energy needs are well documented.

Its supply is increasingly abundant and diverse, which means greater energy security.”

The confirmed speakers at the conference were given as the Secretary General, International Gas Union, Luis Bertran; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru; Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Gas Company, Ben Asante; Managing Director, West Africa Gas Pipeline Company, Walter Perez; Managing Director, NLNG, Tony Attah; Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mordecai Ladan; and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Osagie Okunbor, among others.

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