Mr Justice Derefaka, Technical Adviser, Gas Business and Policy Implementation to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, says the autogas scheme of the Federal Government will create two million jobs annually.
Derefaka made the assertion on Saturday during a TEDx programme on power and energy.
Derefaka said the autogas scheme was initiated by the National Gas Expansion Programme in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and other stakeholders with their technical and financing partners.
According to him, the objective was to introduce autogas as an alternative fuel for automobiles and other prime movers in Nigeria, especially with the deregulation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He said; “The autogas scheme shall be self-financing and self-sustainable and converted vehicles can refill gas at any available gas refuelling station.
“Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas autogas will retail at affordable cost and will be available and accessible.
“The scheme will generate over two million jobs per annum and reduce carbon emissions.”
Derefaka said that as an enabler, the Federal Government would secure gas supply for the scheme from Joint Ventures/Products Sharing Contracts with the NNPC for processing of wet gas at designated gas fields.
He said the Central Bank of Nigeria had created a N250 billion intervention fund to mitigate the funding constraints relating to financing conversion kit acquisition.
Derefaka said that 9,000 stations had been identified for co-location of autogas nationwide while 46 NNPC owned stations would be co-located by the end of 2020.
He added that 50 conversion centres were currently upgrading for mass conversion and training.
Derefaka said that over 30, 000 vehicles were already running on dual fuels in Nigeria.
He said that autogas was cheaper, safer and cleaner than the PMS (petrol), adding that the scheme had the potential of improving Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
