The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has commissioned a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or cooking gas distribution point in Port Harcourt for the south-south market, thus ending what it calls the ‘sad ring’ in LPG supply chain in Nigeria. The company said it has created a supply link in the Niger Delta. The ‘sad ring’ is the situation whereby LPG is shipped to Apapa in Lagos and trucked back in 18 hours to Port Harcourt and Niger Delta. This is as the NLNG says it has completed the training of 89 youths in critical skills.
This was the highlight of the commissioning of Stockgap Fuels Limited at Rumuelumini in Port Harcourt where cooking gas (LPG) would be supplied for onward distribution in the Niger Delta to homes through new cylinders.
The managing director of NLNG, Tony Attah, told the audience that by the facility at Rumuelumini, the sad circle has ended. “This is a sad trip which many have questioned for years. Now, this facility stops that. This will save foreign exchange (forex) for importation of kerosene and to save lives in smokes. WHO says four million people die annually for wrong fuels. Nigeria losses 100,000 persons annually from firewood smoke and these are often women and children.”
He further said: “We are here to change the narrative, supply LPG to Rivers State. This is cleaner and now available in Rivers State. We thank the governor for all your support to the NLNG. We came to you and you made a promise to dredge the channel. You did it. Our chairman persisted on this and it is now done. Nigeria has been riding on the back of oil for 50 years; it is now time to fly on the wings of gas.”
Attah said: “Today is a special day for us at the NLNG, for Rivers State and for Nigeria because this is another remarkable display of being a global player from Nigeria; a source of cleaner energy (npg supply). Before now, Nigeria had mere 50,000 tons per year of LPG, but this has grown to 650,000 tons with NLNG contributing almost half of this (40 per cent). The story of the NLNG is told in blocks of 30 years. The first 30 years was about a dream of how to monitise gas stuff and this was the case in 1989 when the corporation was set up (registered as a corporate entity). Next was 20 years ago when the NLNG began responsible operations.”
He went on: “There has been massive investment in gas facilities from trains one to six so far. Nigeria is now a top gas power (NLG and IPG). Next 30 years is to witness energy transition globally and the NLNG is playing in this session too with the supply IPG. This thus will be the future of Rivers State and future of Nigeria, which is going to be hinged on lpg use. Train 7 will move the NLNG to 30m tons from 22m capacity. It will spill over 10,000 jobs at construction stage, and attract $10m in investment to the state. Game-changer: Now, IPG cargo arrives to this facility in Rumuolumeni. This is a game-changer in domestic IPG market.”
The chairman of Stockgap Limited, Stanley Obiamerije, said the future is gas, and that by this project, gas emission is on its way out. “The project began in 2013 when we acquired the land here and was completed in 2019.”
He said impetus came when the FG asked the NLNG to dedicate a portion of its gas to domestic use and also to replace existing gas cylinders used in homes. He mentioned key benefits thus; “NLNG can now create access to its gas to Nigerians. We will create massive jobs. Rivers State is to become a viable destination to investors; channel cleared. We thank the governor for fulfilling his promise to deepen the water channel. Now, lpg is to come to our doorsteps. It is the energy of the future.”
An elated Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the state government would continue to invest in the development of infrastructure to grow the state’s economy and create employment for the people.
Governor Wike also said that the state government would sustain the creation of enabling environment to attract more investments to the state. He said: “We will continue to develop infrastructure in the state to grow the state’s economy and attract more investors to the state. Rivers State is the best place for investors to come. There is always return on investment in the state.”
Skills
The NLNG also says it has trained 89 youths, selected from the 110 host and pipeline communities of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and they were flagged off on Tuesday in Port Harcourt from the company’s skill acquisition and capacity building programme, Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES).
YES is one of NLNG’s numerous initiatives designed to make youths in its host and pipeline communities self-reliant as well as economically and socially responsible through guided technical and managerial development training.
In her welcome address at the event, NLNG’s General-Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, remarked that the company’s host communities in Rivers State have benefitted from the scheme through vocational modules in hair-dressing and cosmetology, catering and events management, fashion and design, photography and video production, welding and fabrication, wood work and furniture making and most recently, farming techniques.
She added that it was NLNG’s way of giving back to its host and pipeline communities that have supported the company in achieving great feats in its 30 years of incorporation and 20 years of production from its Bonny Plant.
The scheme programme includes mentoring of trainees by five of its training providers – Plantgeria Nigeria Limited (Automotive), Topearl Catering and Hospitality Management (Catering), JB Multimedia Limited (Video Production and Photography), Lincoln Continental Limited (Advanced Welding) and Farmers’ Business School (Farm Management).
On this she said: “The agreement between us and these training companies set the stage and opened new vistas for our aspiring youths. Since then, most of them have graduated with National certifications- NABTEB and Trade Test 11 respectively. Today, we are here to celebrate the graduation of 17 youths in welding, 24 in Catering and Hotel Management, another 17 in Automotive Training, 16 in Farm Management and 15 in Video and Photography. It is heart-warming to state that these trainees graduated with excellent grades.”
According to her, “To help them get started immediately, we have provided them with a starter pack and mentorship from their trainers for three months period post set-up. This is to support them in overcoming any teething problems as they start and also to help them get grounded to succeed in business.”
NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by NNPC (49percent), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6percent), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15percent) and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr. l (10.4percent).
Ignatius Chukwu
