The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday pledged to support the Nigerian Gas Expansion programme (NGEP) of the federal government to improve domestic utilisation of gas for power, industrialisation in order to deepen Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration in the country.
A statement by a senior official of the organisation, Mr. Paul Osu, quoted the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, as restating the commitment when the NGEP Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim visited him in his office in Abuja.
The federal government had said that the programme was envisioned to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty through the establishment of gas-related outlets that would serve the public when fully realised.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, recently disclosed that the NGEP was designed to expand gas supply as well as to stimulate demand in Nigeria, adding that the programme had already taken off in some states of the federation
With a proven gas reserves of over 206 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and prospects of an additional 600tcf, the minister explained that natural gas presents an opportunity for the nation to use gas as a catalyst for its socio-economic renaissance.
Komolafe stressed that the NUPRC being a product of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 responsible for technical and commercial regulation of upstream petroleum business was fully prepared to ensure that Nigeria’s gas resources are fully harnessed.
He assured that the vision of the commission was to become a 21st century regulator that would enable business for investors and meet the aspirations of government.
The NURPC boss emphasised the importance of NGEP to the national economy and praised the commitment of his guest to national goals, especially in the domestication of gas in Nigeria.
Komolafe reiterated that the commission will provide all necessary support for NGEP within the provisions of the PIA 2021 to enable it achieve its mandate.
In his comments, Chairman of NGEP, Ibrahim, assured the commission’s chief executive of his pledge to drive the domestication of gas for job creation and for alternative energy source.
He said that there was enough molecules of gas available in the country to achieve the domestication of gas and appealed for institutional support from NUPRC for the success of the scheme, adding that NGEP offers unique opportunities to unlock gas potential in Nigeria.
“President Muhammadu Buhari launched the NGEP programme as part of government’s commitment to provide alternative energy source for Nigerians and create jobs to uplift people out of poverty,” the statement stressed.
