NCDMB roots for LPG as Selai expands penetration in Lagos

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote has called for growth in the usage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a 30-metric-ton refilling plant of Selai Gas Station Limited launches in Lagos.

The plant, set up in Agege area of Lagos is aiming at empowering women by providing gas cylinders at a reduced price and on flexible payment while transporter are also going to benefit through a delivery solution.

Wabote, who had commended Selai Gas Station Limited as a front-runner in taking practical steps in the ‘Decade of Gas’ journey, quoted data released from Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA), stating that it was the first time domestic LPG consumption would reach the one million MT mark.

According to him, it shows that the various initiatives being embarked upon by the Government through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its Agencies are already yielding fruits.

Represented by Adewale Adenugba, manager, Projects and Operations, NCDMB, Wabote said the commissioning marks the achievement of yet another milestone of private sector taking the bull by the horns in bringing government’s policies into reality.

“Beyond the volumes, the economic, social and environmental benefits of switching from solid and liquid forms of fuel to gaseous form are enormous, which I have noticed is part of your company’s mantra,” he said.

He said the deaths and illnesses caused by smoke and wood fumes are nothing to be proud of for a country sitting on 203tcf of proven gas reserves; this gas station will bring the products closer to end-users.

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“l understand that this a female lead organization, congratulations on breaking the bias to further support women entrepreneurs in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry you can now benefit from the US$40m Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund deployed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nexim Nigerian Export-Import Bank,” he said.

In her remarks, Damilola Owolabi, chief executive officer, SELAi Gas Station Limited, said: “Coming in here was very deliberate; we wanted to impact this neigbourhood. Prior to this time, there has been a lot of shutdown from the Lagos state government because of the plants that liter around without government approvals.

“So it was very difficult for the few people here to get gas, they had to rely on the road side sellers. Coming into this place was because we saw an opportunity and we had to carve a niche for ourselves and most importantly to create an impact within this neigbourhood.”

Owolabi said: “The plans we have is that we have a cylinder programme where we are going to be empowering women more like partnering with them to give them cylinder at very subsidised rate, then the payment is done over a long period of time, just so that we encourage the energy transition message that we are preaching to them.

“Also we are involving the men, whereby we would be uberising our delivery. Any man within this community that has tricycle, when you register with us, we ensure that you are trained on how to take delivery of gas to our clients giving you the platform to also make money.”