Sylva: We’ll change dependence on petrol, diesel

Timipre Sylva, the minister of state for petroleum resources, says the government will continue to make efforts to modify the conventional dependence on white products like petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Speaking on Thursday at the ongoing 12th Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) International Conference 2021 in Lagos, Sylva said the goal is to move to a cleaner, more available, accessible, acceptable and affordable energy use in gas.

In 2020, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that it will provide free conversion services for automobiles to switch from premium motor spirit (PMS) to autogas engines.

The minister, who was represented by Justice Derefaka, his technical adviser on gas business and policy implementation, said Nigeria’s over 200TCF proven reserves of natural gas must be utilised for economic growth and development.

“Our efforts will continue to focus on gas to transmute Nigeria from the conventional dependence on white products to a cleaner, more available, accessible, acceptable and affordable energy use in gas,” he said.

“This will not only cushion the effects of current deregulation but also create enormous jobs opportunities for Nigerians.

“For this reason, we are proposing grandfathering in the new PIB.

“The proposed PIB now before the National Assembly, when passed will also unlock several midstream gas opportunities to further enhance domestic gas utilisation

“The revised PIB framework is based on core principles of clarity, dynamism, neutrality, open access and fiscal rules of general application.”

According to Sylva, the priority of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is the development of Nigeria’s vast gas resources and strengthening of the gas value chain as encapsulated in the National Gas Policy of 2017.

Sylva said the president had outlined some strategic priorities for the ministry aimed at stimulating the sector.

He said this was to foster the sustainability of the Nigerian economy, enhance energy availability, create well-paid jobs, and take millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

He also said the federal government is ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to initiate national activities that would make Nigeria actualise its declaration of 2021-2030 as the ‘Decade of Gas Development’.