Energy Transition: Nigerian Gas Association Advises MDAs To Switch To Gas-Fired Generators

In keeping with its policy of using gas as a transitional energy source while searching for cleaner sources, the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) on Thursday urged Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDA's) to switch to gas-fired generators.

The NGA, a professional industry pressure organisation, expressed its position in a statement in Yenagoa by its Publicity Secretary, Odianosen Masade.

The statement states that Ed Ubong, President of NGA, expressed happiness and confidence regarding the expanding use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a substitute energy source across the country.

In a panel discussion under the title "Harnessing Opportunities in the Nigerian Gas Sector" at the just finished Nigerian Oil & Gas Conference in Abuja, Ubong reportedly made the observation.

He pointed out that despite the country's gas shortage, progress was being achieved thanks to continuous work on a decades-old gas strategy that involved a comprehensive action plan from important national players.

He promised that, given the efforts being made, the story would soon change because everyone's investment was anticipated to start paying off shortly.

"We are progressing in deepening gas consumption across the nation," Ubong remarked. "The significant projects being commissioned are proof that the private parties are contributing.

“FG is also encouraging the adoption of gas as demonstrated in the launch of 20 gas-powered buses by the Head of the Civil Service to convey civil servants from their abodes to their offices in Abuja. 

“There is still CNG input pricing concerns raised by CNG operators to enable the sector which needs to be addressed urgently.

"The downside, however, comes in the form of the cooking gas scarcity that the nation is facing. 

“We have been experiencing an acute shortage of gas for the past six months and its effect is keenly felt across all sectors, including cooking gas, gas to industries and gas to power plants for  electricity generation.”

The NGA president stated that because of the scarcity, the gas industry was faced with enormous challenges and needed to move quickly to activate existing programmes in order to meet both local gas needs and open up export markets.

These, in Ubong's opinion, will unquestionably strengthen the country's economy because they will serve as a significant source of income while lowering reliance on foreign oil.

He urged the government to swiftly pay off the outstanding gas supply bills in the power industry since they were a hindrance to progress.

Ubong said that once the barrier was lifted, the government could hold private parties accountable for their pledges to support the industry with increased gas supply.

While the government and NGA members were looking for creative solutions for the industry, he pointed out that during this decade of gas, end-users also needed to adopt gas as a workable and clean source of energy.

He praised the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for deciding to use gas generators to power its Bayelsa headquarters.

Additionally, he encouraged the Federal Government to institutionalise the use of gas-powered generators for public parastatals and commercial organisations that used generators with a capacity of more than 250 KVA.