Expert: Gas Will Solve Nigeria’s Energy Challenge

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

A former Director-General, National Energy, Commission, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, has said gas development in Nigeria will bring the needed solution to its immediate energy challenge, and remains a longer-term transition fuel

Professor Sambo made the remark in Sokoto yesterday at the maiden ‘Chemistry in Energy +’ maiden conference organised by PTDF Professorial Chair in Petroleum Chemistry of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Sambo, former vice chancellor of ATBU, Bauchi, noted that if Nigeria can harness all it gas resources, there would be remarkable improvement in addressing the public demand for energy.

He said: “We need to explore all mechanisms to facilitate sustainable generation and utilisation of our oil and gas reserves to maximally attain zero level carbon emissions to perfect our Carbone capture for improved energy supply.

“We also need to increase tree plantation activities to further deepen the GGWP in more organised and sustainable ways,” he pointed out, citing Saudi Arabia as a practical example in that direction.

Declaring the conference open, the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, noted that technology and education are critical components that would adequately drive the energy needs of Nigeria to attain sound economic growth through innovations for progress.

Aliyu, represented by the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Aminu Abdullahi, acknowledged the role of critical stakeholders in the energy sub-sector of the economy and hoped the conference would strengthen avenue for the exploration of new ideas for the advancement of frontiers of sciences for national development.

“Which is why the state government maintains the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Resources in order to demonstrate commitment to improving energy and petroleum related activities for public benefit,” he disclosed.

In his keynote address, the Managing Director of KRPC, Mr. Mustafa Sugungun, said Nigeria needs to focus more on how to ensure energy availability, sustainability and affordability through adequate utilisation, conversion and conservation for national development using modern technologies.

He said: “We need to renew our efforts in order to sustain chemical energy drive.

“Using modern technologies will fast-track advantage for enhanced and efficient process in both conservation and storage, which will further address the issue of climate change, rapid development and sufficiency measures.”

However, Sugungun, represented by his Technical Assistant, Abdulmutallib Shehu Shagari, noted that technical training is key to driving a revolutionised process for innovative impact that would shape the future of the country’s quest for sustainable energy production.

He explained that the comparative advantage would subsequently support in addressing pressing environmental challenges, adding that: “ The revolutionary approach will ease the transformation process of our energy sectors system, conversion of our crude oil to high valued chemical products at not less than 70 percent to 80 percent production capacity  as well diversification and expansion of our business portfolio.”

Accordingly, the KRPC boss emphasised the urgent need to embrace and make concerted efforts for research and development as well deploy cutting age technology for derivable solutions to the general energy requirement of the country.

“We have to imbibe practical approach in collaboration with relevant industries, institutions and policy makers to accelerate proper energy generation and management,” he stressed.

Also in his remarks, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Ahmed Galadima Aminu, remarked that local technology can provide solutions to Nigeria’s energy requirement through the development  of institutional and infrastructural capacities across the country.

“This is what PTDF is mandated to drive using the right initiatives as solutions to Nigeria’s Chemistry in Energy needs,” he stated.

Aminu, represented by Dr. Micah Jacobs, explained that the agency was open to developmental ideas hence established endowment chairs across no fewer than eight federal universities in Petroleum Geology, Renewable Energy, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Business Technology, Gas Engineering.

However, the PTDF boss further acknowledged the pioneer and founding chair occupant of the university, Professor A.A. Zuru, for sustaining the objective through human capacity development.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Professor Lawal Suleiman Bilbis, commended PTDF for its visionary and transformative drive towards national development, especially in the energy sector.

He explained that the university remains at the fore front for meeting PTDF requirement of the petroleum chair, adding: “UDUS is leading in the drive for sustainable energy and innovation course.”