Kachikwu, Baru others mull gas economy for Nigeria

The Federal Government and other major stakeholders have identified challenges militating against Nigeria’s journey to a gas-based economy.

They spoke at the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) 11th International Conference and Exhibition yesterday in Abuja.

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, former GMD of the corporation, Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, Secretary General, International Gas Union (IGU), Luis Bertrán Rafecas, NGA president, Dada Thomas, and heads of international oil companies (IOCs) noted that the nation’s gas deposits were being threatened by weak regularly framework, lack of funding, vandalism, security and other critical challenges.

Indeed, the stakeholders were of the view that of the country’s average gas production of 8.5Bscfd, 3.7Bscfd is being exported, 2.7Bscfd for re-injection/gas-lift while only 1.5Bscfd is domestically deployed for power and industries just as the balance of 0.6Bscfd gets flared.