NNPC, US Grains Council to partner on ethanol production

The United States Grains Council and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited will partner on ethanol production.

NNPC announced the intending partnership via its X, formerly Twiter, handle, on Wednesday, after the U.S Grains Council visited the oil company.

Mele Kyari, the oil firm’s group chief executive officer (GCEO), met with members of the U.S Grains Council, led by Ryan LeGrand, the organisation’s CEO.

“During the visit, both parties explored areas of collaboration towards growing Nigeria’s ethanol production in line with sustainability principles,” NNPC said.

Ethanol is an alternative fuel most commonly made from corn, as well as from cellulosic feedstocks, such as crop residues and wood.

Last week Wednesday, NNPC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Niger state government for the establishment of a 500 million litres ethanol plant with associated cultivation of maize, sugarcane, and sweet sorghum on 100,000 hectares of land in the state.

This, the state government said, would lead to the production of over 500,000 tons of crops to fuel the ethanol plant.

Part of the MOU also involves NNPC committing to plant 135 million trees on 100,000 hectares of land as part of its 2030 net zero targets and climate protection efforts.

In November 2022, Kebbi state government said it signed an MOU with NNPC for a $100 million ethanol production in the state.

The partnership includes Kebbi state providing sugarcane and cassava needed as raw materials for ethanol production.