By Ken Afor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to commission three critical gas infrastructure projects spearheaded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its partners.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.
According to the statement, the projects, fast-tracked from the start of Tinubu’s administration, aim to boost domestic gas supply, drive industrialization, and eliminate gas flaring in line with the federal government’s objectives.
The first project is the AHL Gas Processing Plant 2 (GPP-2), an expansion of the existing Kwale Gas Processing Plant in Delta State. With a capacity of 200 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), the new plant will process rich gas and deliver lean gas through the OB3 Gas Pipeline. Additionally, it will produce 160,000 metric tons of propane and 100,000 metric tons of butane annually, reducing Nigeria’s reliance on LPG imports.
The second project is the ANOH Gas Processing Plant (AGPC), an integrated facility with a capacity of 300 mmscf/d. Designed to process non-associated gas from the Assa North-Ohaji South field in Imo State, the plant will produce dry gas, condensate, and LPG, significantly boosting domestic gas supply for power generation and industrialization.
The third project is the ANOH-OB3 CTMS Gas Pipeline Project, involving the construction of a 36-inch, 23.3-kilometer transmission pipeline. This pipeline will evacuate dry gas from the Assa North-Ohaji South primary treatment facility to the OB3 Custody Transfer Metering Station, enabling the delivery of an estimated 600 mmscf/d into the OB3 pipeline system.
The statement added that these projects are expected to increase gas supply to the domestic market by approximately 500 mmscf/d, creating a favorable investment climate and promoting balanced economic growth.
“These projects support the federal government’s effort to grow value from the nation’s gas assets while eliminating gas flaring,” Ngelale stated.
Experts say that the commissioning of these gas infrastructure projects underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to significantly leveraging Nigeria’s gas resources for economic development.
It would be recalled that in April, the presidency announced that the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), which was launched in October 2023 to provide cheaper, safer, and more climate-friendly energy for mass transit, will roll out the first phase of CNG-powered vehicles (buses and tricycles) and electric vehicles.
In a statement issued by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, he noted that the initiative was part of the N500 billion palliative budget, in which N100 billion was allocated to purchase 5,500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 electric buses, and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, alongside setting up CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations.
“The deployment of CNG buses and tricycles and the vision to get at least one million natural gas-propelled vehicles on our roads by 2027 will mark a major energy transition in our country’s transportation industry,” said Onanuga.
The Presidential spokesman disclosed that four plants owned by JET, Mikano, Mojo, and Brilliant EV are involved in assembling the CNG buses, with JET aiming to deliver 200 units before Tinubu’s first anniversary in office on May 29, 2024. Brilliant EV will assemble electric vehicles for states without CNG access, such as Kano and Borno, as well as key cities and university campuses.
Also, a new plant on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will assemble thousands of CNG tricycles, with the first 2,500 expected to be ready before May 29, 2024.
He added that major energy companies like NIPCO, BOVAS, MRS, and the NNPCL are setting up refilling stations and conversion centers nationwide, with NIPCO alone planning 32 stations.
