Brass Plant: FG Aims to be Biggest Methanol Producer

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has set its sight on becoming one of the top-10 producers of methanol in the world.

This was made known by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Wabote.

The NCDMB chief said the 3.5 million tonnes per year methanol production plant in Brass, Bayelsa State, when completed, will place the country in the world’s map as one of the top producers of methanol.

Business Post had reported that the Final Investment Decision for the project, which is being undertaken by Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited in partnership with NCDMB, NNPC, DSV and others, was taken in Abuja recently.

The $3.5 billion project, which is the first in Nigeria and largest in Africa, is expected to create 30,000 jobs during the construction phase and 5,000 jobs during operations and would be funded by loans from China Exim Bank, AfDB, among other creditors.

Mr Wabote has explained that the Brass methanol project would provide an opportunity for diversification of gas utilization, as well as job creation for Nigerians.

Mr Wabote said local content can only grow sustainably when there are oil and gas projects, as megaprojects like the Brass methanol plant provides opportunities to utilize local capacities and capabilities built over the years.

He emphasised the significance of two Federal Government’s agencies – NCDMB and NNPC in catalysing investments in the country.

According to him, “Also critical is the fact that the project provides further opportunity to diversify the utilization of our gas resources by opening up a new frontier in local methanol production.

“Upon completion, the 10,000 tonnes per day or 3.5 million tonnes per year methanol plant will bring Nigeria into the world map as one of the top-10 producers of methanol.

“The opportunities provided by this project in jobs creation, gas utilization, local availability of methanol for primary and secondary users, amongst other reasons form the basis of our decision to partner with Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemicals Company Ltd to enhance the delivery of the project.”