From DENNIS MENRYI, Abuja
Minister of Petroluem resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has said that with the current national consumption rate at 110,000 metric tonnes (MT) per annum of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Nigeria is ranked among the lowest consumers of LPG in Africa. Speaking at the opening of the LPG Strategic Workshop and Conference in Abuja, the minister said growing the LPG market in Nigeria is a critical component of the nation’s Gas Master plan.
The minister who was represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Amb. Abdulkadir Musa said the there is urgent need to open up the LPG market for better energy utilization and economic growth.? “The National Strategic Policy for LPG is therefore necessary to address all the issues affecting LPG development and utilization such as lack of infrastructure, affordability safety concerns and logistics challenges, he said, adding on this note, I will like to state that our vision in the Ministry is for LPG to be an engine for economic growth for our nation.”
The minister explained that due to the challenges in the LPG market, the country cannot even consume the 150,000 metric tonnes of LPG per annum earmarked for domestic market. “Upstream gas suppliers were directed to dedicate an agreed volume of LPG product to the domestic market, which made the NLNG todedicate an agreed volume of LPG product to the domestic market, which made the NLNG to release 150000 MT of LPG per annum to the Nigerian Domestic market,” the Minister said.
