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  • NLNG crashes cooking gas price, approves 100% production into domestic market

    NLNG crashes cooking gas price, approves 100% production into domestic market

    The price of Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas which increased to a staggering price about five months ago selling at N8,500 per 12.5kg is set to crash to an all time low as the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), has approved the supply of 100 per cent of the company’s LPG production(Propane and Butane) into the Nigerian domestic market.

    The development is connected with serious calls and appeals from stakeholders in the gas sector that NLNG increase its supply of LPG into the domestic market which they claim accounts for about 65 per cent.

    They argued that the shortfall of 35 per cent is sourced from imports which comes at a premium due to the imposition of Value Added Tax of 7.5 per cent among other added cost, leading to a sharp rise in cooking gas price.

    Consumers of cooking gas had in the last five months contended with the escalating price of the product, forcing many to resort to the use of dirty fuels which included; charcoal, firewood, Kerosene among others. The milestone according to NLNG is coming just three months after the Company supplied its first Propane cargo into the domestic market and has developed a scheme to sustainably supply Propane for usage in cooking gas blending as well as in agro-allied, autogas, power and petrochemical sectors of the Nigerian economy to further deepen gas utilisation in Nigeria.

    NLNG explained that these initiatives are designed to increase LPG availability in Nigeria, diversifying its uses and support the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative. NLNG is currently the highest single supplier of LPG into the domestic market, with an estimated 400,000 metric tonnes supplied in 2021.

    Speaking on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, said the announcement marked the Company’s strong commitment to the continued growth of the domestic LPG market and its passion to increase utilisation of one of the most versatile energy sources in the world.

    He said the Company was inclined towards helping to build a strong economy based on the gas resources that Nigeria is abundantly blessed with, and that natural gas could help drive the economy by providing cooking gas for homes, supporting industrialisation, powering mobile cell sites and complex transportation systems, impacting food supply through its usage for fertilizer production and increasing power supply to both homes and industries while reducing the country’s carbon footprint.

    According to Mshelbila, “Gas, as the cleanest of the fossil fuels, has become an essential energy source to be reckoned with during this energy transition period.

    Other countries are revolutionising their energy industry to cut down on carbon emissions drastically. Nigeria should not be left out in this drive, considering its abundant gas resources. Gas is essential for life and living at the moment, because it can support everything we will need to develop our economy and create better living standards for Nigerians.

    We need to change the narrative, and NLNG is being pragmatic about it.

    “We are ardently following up on the commitment we made in March 2021 at the NLNG-sponsored pre-summit conference of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) 2021 organised by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources to support the Decade of Gas declaration by the Federal Government.

    We are driven by our vision to remain a globally competitive LNG company helping to build a better Nigeria and are making a reality of our collective dreams that one day we can switch all cooking fuels to gas, and power our vehicles with gas as encapsulated in the government’s National Gas Expansion Program and the Autogas Policy,” he said.

  • FG begins distribution of cooking gas to 13,000 rural women in Nasarawa

    FG begins distribution of cooking gas to 13,000 rural women in Nasarawa

    The Federal Government on Tuesday in Nasarawa state commenced the distribution of cooking gas to 13,000 rural women across the state as part of efforts to check hazardous emissions.

    Mrs Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, while flagging off the exercise in Lafia, said it was the first phase of the National Cooking Gas project and Tree planting initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Tallen said that the President had directed the supply of cooking gas cylinders to 1,000 rural women in each of the 774 local government areas across the country.

    The minister explained that the project being piloted in Nasarawa state would be executed in three phases across the country.

    She said the timing of the project was apt in view of the world’s attention towards reducing effects of green-house emission in the society.

    “According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), emission from cook stoves kills about 4.3 million people annually through air pollution and indoor smoke inhalation causing respiratory diseases and death.

    “This event is to create awareness and sensitise the public, particularly women and other stakeholders, on the effect of using firewood for cooking.

    “It is also to sensitise them on the health and environmental problems associated with cooking with firewood, and to introduce the women to the use of alternate clean stoves,’’ Tallen said.

    Similarly, the Minister also flagged off economic tree planting exercise as part of efforts towards addressing effects of deforestation and climate change.

    “This is also in line with Mr President’s pledge at the United Nations General Assembly session in 2019 to plant 25 million tree within one year,’’ she said.

    She advised the state, local government areas and civil society organisations to support federal government effort to scale down the project to the various communities.

    Nasarawa governor Abdullahi Sule in a speech at the occasion, commended the federal government for the initiative and for choosing Nasarawa state for the pilot phase.

    He urged the people of the state to embrace the use of alternate clean stove for cooking rather than firewood given the related poisonous gas emission hazard.

    Sule pointed out that Nasarawa state had already keyed into the tree planting campaign having launched it in August 2019 in Akwanga local government area.

    He, therefore, called on the people to imbibe the culture of tree planting by replacing any tree fell with three new ones.

    Hajiya Halima Jabiru, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, lauded the federal and state governments for their women-friendly dispositions.

    She urged the beneficiaries to use the cooking gas for the purpose it was meant as the ministry had taken measures to ensure they do not sell them. (NAN)