By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) has tasked the federal government to fast-track clearing of the legacy gas supply debts in the power sector.
According to the body, the debts are impediments to progress in Africa’s largest economy.
Nigeria’s largely untapped natural gas resources could provide the means for the country to fund its way through the global energy transition.
President of NGA, Mr Ed Ubong, maintained that as soon as the government clears the debt, it can then hold private stakeholders accountable for the promises made to bolster the sector with more gas supply.
Mr Ubong noted that while members of NGA in tandem with the government are seeking innovative solutions for the sector, end-users also need to adopt gas as a viable and clean source of energy during this decade of gas.
He spoke during a panel session on Harnessing Opportunities in the Nigerian Gas Sector at the just concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.
“As soon as the government removes this obstacle (gas supply debts), then it can hold private stakeholders accountable for the promises that they have made to bolster the sector with more gas supply,” he stated.
The NGA boss commended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for embracing gas generators to power its headquarter office in Bayelsa and charged all federal agencies, department and ministries to switch over to gas generators for power.
The NGA further tasked the federal government to institutionalize gas-powered generator usage for public parastatals and private entities that use generators of more than 250kva capacity.
Lack of infrastructure has historically hampered the Nigerian energy sector and represents a crucial reason why its gas reserves have been untapped for so long, stakeholders have noted that investments will be crucial in moving the sector towards gas.
Modupe Gbadeyanka