Gas is Elixir for Nigeria’s Economic Reconstruction, Growth, Says Tinubu

*Promises to work with all partners to redefine the future of economy with gas

*Targets 11,500 gas-powered vehicles as CNG initiative is approved

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s unalloyed commitment to leveraging on the domestic utilisation, processing and export of Nigeria’s massive gas resources to catalyse the fundamental restructuring of the nation’s economy for expansive growth during his tenure.
On the same day, the President approved the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) in furtherance of his commitment to easing the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians by reducing energy costs.

Speaking yesterday at the State House, Abuja, during a meeting with the Board and Management of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, the President affirmed that all encumbrances to the entrepreneurial progress industrious citizens, as well as impediments to business practice in the Oil and Gas sector, will be swiftly removed to create more opportunities for Nigerian companies and international partners to thrive on the natural and human resource wealth which God had bestowed upon the nation.

 “It is now a collaborative effort in thinking and doing. We will work with all partners to redefine the future of our economy,” the President told the NLNG delegation, which was led by its Board Chairman, King Edmund Daukuru of Nembe Kingdom and the NLNG Managing Director, Dr. Philip Mshelbila.
President Tinubu affirmed the position of natural gas as Nigeria’s gateway to sustainable development and prosperity, pledging to build a partnership with investors that will guarantee job opportunities and skill development for Nigerian youths in the overriding best interest of the oil and gas producing environments.

“It is all about growing the pie so that Nigerians will benefit. Skill development will help the many restive youths who need to be carried along and employed. Their lives need to be more predictable and prosperous,” the President said.
He appreciated the difficulties faced by the NLNG, particularly on security, affirming that stakeholders, including the host communities and security agencies, will play more central roles in the resolution of troublesome points of contention for more peaceful and profitable operations on a sustainable basis.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Board told the President that the frustrations faced by non-government stakeholders in operations were being collectively shared with the government, and that the communities should play a greater role in ameliorating the situation, noting that issues of trust between investors and host communities must be properly handled with an emphasis on end-to-end process inclusivity.
Mshelbila and the delegation congratulated the President on his victory in the 2023 Presidential elections, and setting the tone early and aggressively with bold and correct, long-term reforms which will transform the Nigerian economy within a short period of time.

He further stated that the company had provided a new standard of efficiency in Nigerian public and private sector partnership that is worthy of emulation.
While noting the contribution of more than USD$1 billion to new tax revenue generation in 2022, the NLNG chief executive emphasised that this was achieved despite NLNG operating significantly below capacity, due to regional insecurity, in addition to changing industry tax modifications introduced by successive Finance Act amendments, of which they heartily commended the President’s recent action to suspend the impediment-inducing provisions in recent weeks.

Berths Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative

President Tinubu yesterday approved the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) in furtherance of his commitment to easing the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians by reducing energy costs.
The transformative initiative is poised to revolutionise the transportation landscape in the country, targeting over 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing PMS-dependent vehicles, while simultaneously bolstering in-country manufacturing, local assembly and expansive job creation in line with the presidential directive.

The initiative, comprising of a Comprehensive Adoption Strategy, will include Empowering Workshops Programme/Nationwide Network of Workshops, Local Assembly and Job Creation as key points of emphasis with an initial focus on mass transit systems and student hubs in order to significantly reduce transit costs for the general populace in the immediate term.

Furthermore, in line with the PCNGI’s determination to ensure a seamless integration of CNG utility within the current midstream and downstream energy value chain to support its sustainability, the PCNGI will facilitate the provision of workshops across all geopolitical zones and states with essential kits and comprehensive training for newly employed staff, thus creating new opportunities for technical skill development and employment for Nigerians.

The new nationwide network of workshops, to be established through the initiative, would ensure widespread access and demand side utilization of CNG technology and CNG-related expertise, thereby facilitating smoother transitions for vehicle owners at the wider benefit of the Nigerian economy.

Under the aegis of the PCNGI, the following strategic objectives will be achieved: The development of new stakeholder-operated Intrastate Mass Transit systems built on CNG; Support for states to onboard new CNG buses as part of their Intrastate Mass Transit network (wholesale conversion, retro-fitting and new purchase); The deployment of CNG buses through existing Private Mass Transit operators, including new financing programmes for operators through an innovative asset finance programme; Incentivize investors to invest in CNG processing, distribution and utilization by providing incentives for enhanced investment and partnership and Deliver training and technology transfer to support the After-Sales Services and maintenance sub-industry to create sustainable jobs.

The statement from the Presidency added: “President Tinubu’s focus on assembling CNG-enabled vehicles within the country will stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities, and bolster the nation’s automotive manufacturing capabilities.
“The launch of the initiative also underscored this administration’s commitment to fostering a cleaner environment by reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy security through the utilisation of domestic natural gas resources.”