Energy Security: Nigeria’s Gas utilisation framework for households, investments, SME growth in progress –Official

*Amb. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, at the 2023 Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum, in Abuja, explains how Nigeria’s Decade of Gas agenda accelerates domestic and export gas production and utilisation

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government has stated the utilisation of gas can help to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix and reduce the country’s dependence on oil.

In line with this development agenda, President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2021, had declared 2021 to 2030 as “Nigeria’s Decade of Gas“, a period the government aspired to accelerate domestic and export gas production and utilisation.

LPG cylinders

Amb. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, noted this Thursday, in Abuja, during the 2023 Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum by SPE.

Aduda spoke on the role of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources on “Effective Gas Resources Utilisation: A Lever For Enhancing Energy Security and Achieving Net-Zero Emission Goals in Nigeria”.

The Permanent Secretary indicated that the Ministry was playing a crucial role in the effective utilisation of gas resources in Nigeria, by developing policies and regulations to encourage the use of gas, promote gas infrastructure investments and competitive gas market.

According to him, this included creating enabling environment and partnerships with the private sector to build pipelines, storage facilities and other infrastructure necessary for the transportation and storage of gas.

Aduda said infrastructure was essential to ensuring availability of gas, especially in expanding domestic utilisation and reducing the cost of gas by increasing competition and efficiency.

He also stated: “We are already achieving very amiable results in the domestic intake of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in several small and medium scale industries across the country.

“Another important role is supporting the development of a competitive and efficient gas market by promoting the use of market-based pricing mechanisms and encouraging the participation of multiple players in the market.”

Aduda said: “A competitive market can help to ensure that gas is priced efficiently, which in turn can help to encourage its use.

“Finally, the ministry is further playing a crucial role with the passage of the PIA 2021 in developing policies and regulations that encourage the use of gas in its various forms.”

ConsumerConnect reports the Ministry described Gas as a cleaner-burning fossil fuel than oil or coal, which can play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Nigerian economy.

It said this also is essential to promote public awareness and education on the benefits of gas as a cleaner and more affordable source of energy.

“This will require targeted outreach and engagement with communities, as well as the development of programmes that provide affordable access to clean energy for households and small businesses,” Aduda noted.