NIPCO Backs Tinubu’s Reforms, Pledges Continuous Support for Nigeria’s Gas Infrastructure

Ejiofor Alike

NIPCO Plc has expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, particularly the recent deregulation of the downstream sector.

Speaking when he led NIPCO’s delegation to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, recently, the company’s senior executive, Mr. Ramesh Kansagra, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to the federal government’s economic agenda, pledging continuous support for gas infrastructure.

 He noted that NIPCO had recognised the potential of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) 15 years ago when it sought federal government’s approval to establish CNG infrastructure that allowed motorists to switch to gas.
Kansagra pointed out that the company’s CNG vision aligned perfectly with President Tinubu’s goal of promoting gas as a transition fuel.

 According to him, Tinubu’s reforms would unlock numerous benefits to Nigeria’s economy, stressing that the renewed momentum in the gas sector has opened a new vista for motorists to adopt CNG as a cleaner alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

He lauded Tinubu’s proactive policies, such as the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), which has made significant strides in expanding access to auto  CNG for transportation.
“The President’s push for gas as an alternative energy source reflects the global trend towards use of cleaner fuels, and it is timely for Nigeria,” he added.

Kansagra expressed optimism that the shift to cleaner energy sources in transportation would positively impact the Nigerian economy, by reducing the sector’s dependence on fossil fuels while contributing immensely to Nigeria’s environmental sustainability goals.
He equally pledged that NIPCO will continue to invest in gas infrastructure to ensure that more motorists and industries benefit from gas-powered solutions.

The company’s senior executive promised that the company will scale up investment in gas infrastructure
He said this expansion would help more motorists and industrial users to benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of running vehicles, plants and equipment on gas.  
 He noted that NIPCO is the only single company that is constructing 100 kilometres of 18-inch gas pipeline from Lagos to Ibadan along the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway at a cost of $100 million.

 Kansagra described the company’s partnership with the PCNGi as a prime example of how a public-private partnership/collaboration can drive the development of CNG infrastructure, for the benefit of the public at large.
 He said NIPCO would continue to support President Tinubu’s effort to achieve cleaner energy use across Nigeria.
According to him, motorists now have a choice to either buy petrol at N1, 000 per litre or buy equivalent CNG at N230.00 per standard cubic metre (SCM), stressing that CNG is four times cheaper than petrol.

He also noted that while gas is produced in Nigeria, 50 per cent of petrol consumed locally is imported.