The Gas Agregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are coordinating the post-AKK forum with Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) states to promote gas utilization and economic development ahead of the completion of AKK pipeline.
The 2021 Gas Stakeholder’s Forum, organized by Gas Agregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) has successfully come and gone, it is beyond doubt that the participants hosted in the ancient and commercial capital of Northern Nigeria; Kano, left with a stanch persuasion that the $2.8billion Ajaokuta – Kaduna – Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project is becoming a reality and that the Federal Government is on track to revamp the economies of the Northern States and indeed, Nigeria.
The two-day event with the theme “Optimizing the Economic Development Capacity of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline project”, was kicked-off with a colorful and energetic dance drama from the famous Koroso dancers. Their performance was followed by the Egbira, Kalangu, Gbayi, Mada and Gaada dance troupes, depicting the rich and hospitable Northern culture with rhythmic melodies enough to mollify and relieve guests after their travel to Kano.
The main event deliverable is the sensitization of the Nigerian populace especially the business community of the massive economic opportunities inherent in the AKK project upon completion. In attendance were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, the GMD NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, AKK States Governors and their representatives, key industry stakeholders including over 500 gas stakeholders’ participants joined virtually and physically.
Key traditional stakeholders were not left out as the Emir of Kano and Emir of Bichi ably led a host of other traditional representatives in attendance.
Indeed, the event was an illustration of the significant progress recorded in the Nigeria Gas sector under the leadership of the Government of President Muhammad Buhari.
There is a growing consensus that milestones such as the implementation of the Gas transportation Network Code, ongoing completion of ELPS-2 and OB3 pipelines etc. are products of consistent focus of the Federal Government of Nigeria, ably facilitated by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and the GMD, NNPC.
Evidently, Nigeria is heading in the right direction through the ongoing prioritization and utilization of gas to drive economic growth.
For the avoidance of doubt, the key take-aways from the 29th July, 2021 AKK Gas Sector Forum are highlighted here below:
- The AKK pipeline is a reality. This was backed by sound economic projections including recent progress in the AKK financing and project completion schedule.
- There are short-term commercially competitive supply solutions via virtual pipelines to grow and mature the Northern Market thus reinforcing the viability of the AKK gas pipeline ahead of completion.
- The need to develop and deepen strategic partnerships within the gas business community to optimize the benefit of the project through a concise framework.
To this end, GACN and NNPC have commenced the arduous steps of concretizing the key deliverables highlighted in the Forum and their efforts are already gaining wins. Two Gas Utilization and Expansion Memoranda of Understandings(MOUs) between NNPC, GACN, Kano and Kaduna States respectively, have already been executed while discussions with Kogi and Nasarawa States are in the finalization stage.
Indeed, GACN and NNPC are collaborating with the Nasarawa State Government to hold a Nasarawa Gas Business Roundtable engagement in Lafia on the 4th of November, 2021. The NNPC – GACN – Nasarawa State gas utilization collaboration MOU would be executed in the course of this event.
The executed MOU’s require a multi-party Joint Working Team, comprising of gas suppliers, virtual pipeline solution providers and AKK State representatives to collaboratively provide gas supply strategies and solutions consistent with the identified private and public sector priority projects of the AKK States.
The Team has already commenced gas commercialization discussions with the various State Government representatives to determine gas needs for their priority projects. Consultations with key gas solution providers are ongoing to provide an end to end, high level competitive and robust near-term gas supply plan to meet the gas requirement of the identified critical gas and power demand clusters, free trade zones, industrial zone parks in the various states.
Going forward, GACN is committed to consistently pursuing gas commercialization and utilization projects to fruition. At the risk of stating the obvious, this will not only be limited to the AKK states, as indeed plans are already in full gear to host a practical follow-up event in the south-east to marshal all stakeholders and gas sector participants towards gas utilization and expansion in the south eastern region of the Country.
This notable follow-up event is planned to be held on Tuesday 24th February, 2022 in the south-east commercial hub city of Nnewi, Anambra State.
The road map for achieving FGN’s aspiration in the gas sector is clear.
GACN in collaboration with NNPC and other key gas stakeholders are resolute about providing economically sound and competitive solutions to expand and deepen gas penetration in the domestic gas market.(NAN)
