NIGERIA TO BECOME REGIONAL GAS HUB BY 2017 - NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the country would become the regional hub of petrochemical and fertiliser by 2017.

The disclosure was made by the NNPC Group Executive Director of Gas and Power, Dr. David Ige, in Abuja while receiving the Man of the Year Award from the Oil and Gas Year book. Ige said that the gas development reform and capacity in the country were being redoubled, stating that 'all that we need to make Nigeria a regional hub of petrochemical and fertiliser is in place and by 2017, Nigeria clearly will become the regional hub of gas in Africa.'

He posited that the nation was on its way to achieving gas export parity, a development that would encourage greater investment by the private sector in the gas exploration and production.

Ige, in a statement by the NNPC yesterday, revealed that domestic gas usage has been on the increase, noting that about 300 taxi drivers have converted their cars to run on gas in Benin city, Edo State.

He noted that the major gas infrastructure development initiated by the Jonathan administration is designed to create flexibility of movement of domestic gas nationwide.

He also disclosed that the Ajaokuta-Kano-Kaduna gas line is at an advanced stage of design to supply gas to the northern part of the country for power generation and gas-based industries, adding that similar gas infrastructure projects are on-going in different parts of the country.

Ige explained that these improvements in gas supply and power availability are a testament to the holistic approach of the current administration in resolving Nigeria's power crisis for good.