NIPCO seeks speedy completion of AKK pipeline

Despite the noticeable successes recorded in the gas sector, Suresh Kumar, the managing director, Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO) Plc has said that more concerted efforts are still needed in the areas of infrastructure to guarantee access to the products.

Kumar, who applauded governments at all levels over programmes targeted at deepening domestic gas utilisation in consonance with global energy transition, spoke at the 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja.

“Operators have based their hopes on speedy completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline and subsequent connection of more cities to the gas pipeline across the country,” he stated.

Recounting the performance of the petroleum marketing company in the 2022 financial year, he said that the company was able to scale through the global and national challenges through its resilience structure.

“Our performance in 2022 was mainly on a long-term growth strategy that was anchored on prudent management of resources, cost optimisation, teamwork and unflinching support of the board of directors,” he said.

Kumar continued: “Our company’s daunting efforts in the industry and indeed gas sector is also worthy of note with its wholly-owned subsidiary, NIPCO Gas Limited (NGL). The company has continued to deepen domestic gas utilisation through access to both CNG for auto use and piped natural gas for industrial usage. It has constructed and laid over 100 kilometres of big gas pipeline and currently in Lagos -Ibadan expressway linking Ogun State to its neighbouring Oyo State via gas pipeline.

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“NIPCO Gas Limited (NGL) embarked on the construction of three CNG refill stations in FederalCapital Territory (FCT) and environs in 2022 to facilitate access to gas by motorists and other end users. Two of the stations are ready and functioning with the Abuja airport road station servicing the newly inaugurated mass transit buses for civil servants in the territory and other motorists,” he stated.

Kumar said that NGL is entrenching its presence across the federation, encouraging a switch to natural gas by motorists and industries as preferred energy source through massive investment in infrastructure to improve access.