The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo has restated the commitment of the Nigerian government, under President Bola Tinubu in supporting the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Project to realise its full potential and objectives.
A statement, Friday by the minister’s spokesman, Louis Ibah, indicated Ekpo stated this in his speech at the WAGP Authority Committee of Ministers (COM) meeting in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where he assured other member countries (Benin, Togo and Ghana) of uninterrupted gas supply from Nigeria to meet their domestic needs.
He said the Nigerian government targets strengthening the brotherhood of the West African sub-region and ensuring energy stability through the West African gas pipeline system.
Ekpo said at present, Nigeria was pursuing gas as a destination fuel, and therefore working through various initiatives to monetise its abundant natural gas resources.
He listed some of the initiatives to include the Decade of Gas that would develop and monetise over five billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of gas for the domestic and export market; auto gas initiative such as the Presidential CNG programme, and the Nigerian Gas Expansion Programme geared at encouraging the switch from liquid fuel to gas for automobiles and many more.
“The above initiatives will ensure continuous supply of reliable gas to WAGP through the N-Gas Limited that has been the vehicle for commercialising the Eastern gas,” the minister said.
Ekpo also pledged his support for N-Gas Ltd and other value chain participants, especially Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) to resolve the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) pressure issues.
According to the Gas Minister, the NGIC is carrying out various projects that would address the ELPS pressure challenge including connecting the gas reach from the eastern region with the western and northern demand regions and installation of midline compressors that would provide a total solution to the pressure challenges.
Ekpo further noted that while efforts are being made to ensure adequate gas supply from Nigeria, it was important to highlight the need for payment performance to both N-Gas and WAPCO to ensure sustainable gas supply.
He urged all stakeholders to be pragmatic in the determination of Tariff Period (TP) four and ensure modulation not as disincentive to investment while ensuring WAPCO is made whole for reliable service delivery.