Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has urged the bid winners for the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP) to hasten site development.
The chief executive officer of the commission, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, made this known during the establishment of a College of Awardees for bid winners of the NGFCP.
He said the forum will leverage the collective experiences of the awardees.
In addition, Mr Komolafe explained that it would bring together world-class service providers, including technology providers/Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), financiers, and multilateral agencies to foster optimal delivery of the flare commercialisation projects.
Speaking at the inaugural Post Award Forum of Awardees (PAFA) and inauguration of the NGFCP College of Awardees in Abuja, Mr Komolafe restated the organisation’s belief that the move would also facilitate significant opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.
The forum was attended by NGFCP preferred bidders/awardees, government agencies and functionaries, international partners, and agency multilaterals.
Others included Development partners and a network of the business community comprising investors, technology providers, financiers, and service providers.
A statement signed by the NUPRC Chief Executive said the forum would also help connect other stakeholders and critical support systems to preferred bidders/permit holders.
Mr Komolafe emphasised the need for the awardees to secure full title to the relevant flare sites by qualifying for the grant of permit to access the sites and progress project development towards the start of beneficial operations.
“We, therefore, encourage all interested entities to take advantage of the platform to network and close deals under a win-win value proposition,” he added.
He hinted that the forum will be convened periodically, possibly twice a month in the first instance, or at the college’s desired frequency as the programme implementation unfolds.
“Please be informed that the federal government is focused on deepening our gas market and ensuring decarbonisation of upstream operations in line with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP).
“The NGFCP is a critical platform through which these mandates can be achieved, and your preferred bidders are integral to this journey to bring to fruition the agenda of the government,” he stressed.
He urged awardees to take advantage of the current global gas market realities and quickly bring the projects to operation.
“I urge you to hit the ground running in developing the awarded sites in line with sound engineering and industry best practices,” he noted.
He then pledged that the commission would continue to provide a transparent, predictable, and enabling regulatory environment for operators in line with its technical and commercial statutory mandates to optimise the development and exploitation of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.
