Oil & Energy
Gov Sule Makes Case For Nation’s Gas Reserves
Nasarawa state Governor Abdullahi Sule said last Thursday that the country’s major challenges and problems could be resolved with its gas reserves.
Sule said this in Abuja at the 6th Triennial Branch Delegates Conference/Award of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), under the theme: “Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) – Prospects for the Nigerian oil and gas industry”.
The governor said Nigeria was a gas country with oil, going by the volume of her gas reserves.
“When I was working for an oil and gas company in the past, we used to categorise Nigeria as among the various nations of oil and gas, we used to see Nigeria as a gas country with oil.
“With over 200 trillion standard cubic feet of gas that we have, Nigeria is indeed a gas country. And for those who understand the industry, if we develop the gas alone, even without the 40 million barrels of oil we have, the gas will be enough to sustain Nigeria.
“All the problems about power, fertiliser, the challenges we have in agriculture will be resolved easily with the gas reserve that we have.
“I want PENGASSAN to promote gas because a lot of countries survived with gas; it’s gas that made Qatar what it is today, not oil.
“So, this is the opportunity we have that we must develop, if we have to survive as a nation,” Sule said.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Sarki Auwalu, (DPR), who was the chief host of the conference, said the focus on the PIA was to highlight the importance of the law to the oil and gas sector.
Auwalu also said that PIA would overhaul the oil and gas industry and eventually set the country on the path of greatness.
“The theme of this conference is a further testament to the critical role played by the constructive unionism in national development, the petroleum industry in particular.
“You will agree with me that President Muhammadu Buhari achieved a monumental feat in advancing the Nigeria oil and gas industry.
“This was enabled through the signing of the PIB into an Act and this took us 20 years to achieve this legacy; president Buhari deserves an applause.
“In spite of the fact that we are going to net-zero, I believe that the PIA has a focus on the future and we will see how that future will be guaranteed with respect to environmental consciousness.
“I believe that the PIA will guarantee the future of our children and grand children,” Auwalu said.
He called for closer collaboration between PENGASSAN and the DPR, especially as it concerned the implementation of the PIA, for the oil and gas industry to continue to thrive.
President of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo regretted that the PIB was signed into law by President Buhari with some errors, but noted that it could be subjected to amendments for some of the errors to be removed.
“The only snag we have today is that we channel our energy into production of crude oil reserve; if we continue the way we are today, that is 2 million barrels per day and about 37 million barrels reserve, it will take us years to move forward.
“We should be thinking of how to fast track to ensure that the 2 million production is moved to 3 or 4 million barrels.
“If we don’t do that quickly, we are going to be caught in the trap of energy transition or fall into the web of what happened to our coal. Today, coal is trapped in the ground and nobody is interested”, he said.
As part of the restructuring, the company said it had promoted high-performing employees, released retiring staff, and disengaged others whose performance fell below expected standards.
It added that it has also begun implementing a comprehensive employee development and customer management plan to strengthen its service delivery framework.
“In line with its corporate transformation strategy, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has announced a restructuring exercise aimed at delivering improved services to its customers as well as enhanced operational efficiency and excellence.
“The restructuring is in line with our strategic direction to become a more responsive and efficient organisation, capable of delivering world-class service to our customers.
“As part of the transformation, the Company has promoted high-performing staff, released retiring employees and those performing below par, and has put in motion the implementation of a robust employee development and customer management plan aimed at driving AEDC’s customer-centric focus,” the company said.
AEDC noted that the reforms are part of its broader commitment to provide reliable, safe, and sustainable electricity to customers across its franchise areas, including the Federal Capital Territory and the states of Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa.
The firm further pledged to continue investing in infrastructure upgrades, digital technologies, and operational innovations to improve service reliability and customer satisfaction.
“With a strong commitment to delighting its customers, AEDC continues to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria’s energy sector through investments in infrastructure, innovative technologies, and sustainable practices.
“AEDC consistently seeks to improve the quality of life for its customers, promote efficient energy usage, and actively engage with its communities,” the statement added.
Nwoko who is also the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, said that forensic reviews show over S22b, S81b and S200b remained unaccounted for across different audit periods.
“I remain committed, alongside my colleagues, to ensuring accountability, recovery, and reform within the oil and gas sector.
Nwoko stated that the Committee had earlier presented its interim report before the senate saying “Our investigation has so far uncovered massive revenue losses amounting to over $300 billion in unaccounted crude oil proceeds over the years.
“This represents one of the most troubling cases of economic sabotage our nation has ever faced.
“We have made far-reaching recommendations to end this long-standing menace.
“There is need for strict enforcement of international crude oil measurement standards at all production and export points.
He urged the federal government to mandate the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to deploy modern, tamper-proof measuring technology or return this function to the Department of Weights and Measures under the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
The senator called for the deployment of advanced surveillance systems, including drones, to assist security agencies in combating oil theft.
He also called for the creation of a Special Court for Crude Oil Theft to ensure swift prosecution of offenders and their collaborators, saying it would also go a long way in tackling the challenge.
“We must also ensure the full implementation of the Host Communities Development Trust Fund under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to empower local communities and reduce sabotage.
“Ceding abandoned oil wells to the NUPRC for allocation to modular refineries to support local production and job creation is also very vital in fighting the menace of oil theft and sabotage,” Nwoko further said.