Gas opportunities in PIA as focus of NGA industry forum

How to tap into investment opportunities created by the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) will be the key focus of the Nigerian Gas Association industry forum taking place virtually on December 14.

The NGA, the apex professional body responsible for the promotion and protection of the interests of the gas industry in Nigeria, is gathering leading stakeholders to explore the progress made so far in 2021 and the opportunities for gas development acceleration following the newly passed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). This follows the Nigerian government’s keen interest to drive a gas-based economy.

The NGA, the largest gas industry’s advocacy group and a chartered member of the International Gas Union (IGU) will hold its 2021 Business Forum with the theme ‘Petroleum Industry Act: Progress and Opportunities in the Decade of Gas’.

According to a release from the organisation, the virtual discourse will feature conversations from experts and key stakeholders in the whole gas value chain where they will broadly discuss progress and pertinent issues surrounding the actualisation of a gas-powered economy in 2021 and the outlook for 2022, policies and areas of improvement, and tactfully proffer actionable solutions towards the advancement of the natural gas industry following the declaration of a decade of gas and putting in place the Petroleum Industry Act.

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Timipre Sylva, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, is expected to deliver the Keynote Speech at the Forum.

Other key industry stakeholders expected to contribute to the discourse include Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPC), Farouk A. Ahmed, CEO, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Gbenga Komolafe, CEO, Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, Osagie Okunbor, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.

Others are Richard Kennedy, Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria, AbdulKabir M. Ahmed, Group Executive Director, Gas & Power, NNPC,Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director, NLNG,; Bolaji Osunsanya, CEO, Axxela Limited and other stakeholders.

Commenting, Ed Ubong, President, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), said that the NGA Business Forum aligns with its mandate of creating the right platform for gas advocacy; providing opportunity for players to share ideas, interrogate policy frameworks and engage government and critical stakeholders with the sole aim accelerating Nigeria gas development

“Given the criticality of gas towards Nigeria economic development, prosperity and energy security, it is expedient that industry leaders take a look back at 2021 and provide a holistic outlook for 2022 proffering robust, sustainable and actionable solutions towards actualising a gas-powered economy,” he said.