Photo caption: Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has inaugurated the first Liquefied to Compressed Natural Gas hub in the North-East of Nigeria in Yola, Adamawa State.
The minister, in a speech at the event on Tuesday, described the project by Greenville LNG as a powerful testament to the potential of public-private collaboration in advancing the Federal Government’s ‘Decade of Gas’ agenda.
He stated, “The strategic location of this facility in the North-East also carries deep significance. For far too long, this region has faced infrastructural challenges that have limited its full economic potential.
Ekpo was further quoted in a statement by his media aide, Louis Ibah, “This facility in Yola marks a significant turning point. It is a beacon of hope and opportunity, not only for Adamawa State but for the entire region. It demonstrates that the benefits of Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources can and must reach every corner of our country.”
According to him, President Bola Tinubu had made it a national priority to harness Nigeria’s gas resources for economic transformation, industrialisation, and social development.
He said the LCNG model was a perfect example of such innovation, creating an integrated solution for powering vehicles and industrial equipment with both LNG and CNG, said to be cleaner and cheaper alternatives to diesel and petrol.
He added, “This transformative project highlights the Federal Government’s unrelenting efforts to drive economic growth through gas adoption, building on the immense promise of natural gas as a cornerstone for national energy security.
Ekpo also called on other investors and gas developers to invest in the LCNG project, noting that there was much ground to cover and many communities that remained underserved.
He appreciated the government and people of Adamawa State for their support of the project through the provision of land and a conducive environment for construction by contractors, saying CNG was cheaper and cleaner than petrol.
He added that Tinubu meant well for Adamawa, the reason he was working to ensure the state was hooked up for CNG.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, represented by his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, commended the Federal Government for facilitating the investment, saying it aligned with the vision of the state government for cleaner and affordable energy sources.
The governor noted that the state had witnessed the impact of climate change, saying the state was behind every policy and project geared at saving the environment and ensuring that citizens live and breathe healthy air.
“We will need more of the Federal Government’s intervention, and we will do our best to ensure that the project succeeds,” Fintiri said.
The Chairman of Greenville, Mr Eddy Van Den Broeke, said the company was committing over $1bn in investments to the country and that similar projects would be replicated in other states.
He sought the support of the federal and state governments to bring the projects to fruition.
