CNG: Energy Marketers Call for Best Safety Practices
Peter Uzoho
The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) has urged the retailers of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and the public to embrace best safety practices in the sale and use of the product.
This is as the federal government steps up efforts in the introduction and adoption of CNG as an alternative energy source to reduce the patronage of expensive fuels.
MEMAN made the call during its Competency Centre Workshop Series tagged, “Enhancing Operational Safety in Nigeria’s Retail Compressed Natural Gas Sector.”
Chairman of MEMAN and Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Mr. Huub Stokman, underscored the importance of the association’s Competence Centre in supporting the entire downstream oil and gas industry in the country.
“We are talking about CNG today. It’s important to realise that we’ve been on this journey for a long time. Nigeria, known as the eighth-largest gas province in the world, has extensive experience with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is a crucial part of our energy mix. As we introduce CNG to the public, it’s essential to ensure it is done correctly and safely”, Stokman said.
Contributing, Programme Director and Chief Executive of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI), Michael Oluwagbemi, described CNG as “the gas and fuel of the future for the transportation and power sectors.”
He noted the Nigerian government’s commitment to transitioning to cleaner, safer, and more reliable fuel options under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
Oluwagbemi acknowledged concerns regarding the safety of CNG, given its high-pressure storage requirements, assuring Nigerians of its safety.
Gas Stakeholders Recommit to Unlocking Potential in Sector
Stakeholders and professionals under the umbrella of the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) have reaffirmed their commitment towards unlocking the untapped potential in the nation’s abundant natural gas resources through continuous advocacy and robust initiatives.
The association observed that with over 209 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas natural reserve and over 600tcf unproven reserve, Nigeria is hugely blessed with resources of immense value, which should be harnessed to improve the nation’s socio-economic status.
President of NGA, Mr. Akachukwu Nwokedi, stated this in Lagos at the unveiling of the association’s 25th anniversary logo, pointing out that the body had been at the forefront of driving progressive advocacy and shaping the landscape of Nigeria’s gas sector.
A chartered member of the International Gas Union (IGU), Nwokedi said the association was founded in 1999 by industry giants including the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), among others, the NGA said it has evolved into a diverse and formidable not-for profit organisation.
He revealed that with over 200 corporate and 3,000 individual members, the association remained steadfast in its vision to improve the nation’s economy, by unlocking the latent potential in Nigeria’s abundant natural gas reserves.
He noted that over the past two decades, the group had left an indelible mark on the gas industry both in Nigeria and at the international scene.
“NGA’s influence can be seen in its focused advocacy on, and input into industry-changing gas policies together with its capacity building initiatives driven through its several learning programmes.
“These achievements have reinforced natural gas as a unique resource for Nigeria and demonstrated the NGA’s commitment to creating transformative change across various sectors of the Nigerian economy”, Nwokedi stated.
The president explained that the silver jubilee logo symbolised the core of NGA’s advocacy for the adoption of gas as the principal energy resource to drive Nigeria’s economy.
