President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned a newly built 40,000 cubic metre
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier for West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL),
reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable and affordable energy solutions
across the continent.
The commissioning, announced on Monday via the
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) official X account,
marked another milestone in Nigeria’s push to expand its role in the global
clean energy value chain.
President Tinubu, represented at the event by the
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo,
praised WAGL Energy Limited, NNPC Ltd., and Sahara Group for their strategic
foresight and technical innovation. He described the initiative as “a bold step
toward strengthening Africa’s clean energy infrastructure.”
NNPC Ltd. Reacts
Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive
Officer of NNPC Ltd., lauded the vessel as a major boost to Nigeria’s gas
development strategy. Speaking through Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, Executive Vice
President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Ojulari said the new LPG carrier will
play a key role in ensuring affordable and accessible gas supply nationwide.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud to be a major shareholder in this
indigenous company. In addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos),
WAGL owns four other LPG vessels and has delivered more than 6 million metric
tonnes of LPG across West Africa in the last five years,” he stated.
WAGL’s Perspective
WAGL’s Chairman and Sahara Group Executive Director,
Mr. Temitope Shonubi, highlighted the company’s long-term vision of bridging
Africa’s critical energy infrastructure gaps.
“The commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos)
embodies progress and empowerment, reflecting the legacy of Alhaja Abibatu
Mogaji, whose name the vessel proudly bears,” Shonubi said.
Managing Director of WAGL Energy Limited, Mr. Mohammed
Sani Bello, disclosed that the company intends to further expand its fleet
within the next two years with the addition of both a Small Gas Carrier (SGC)
and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC).
Background
WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between NNPC Ltd.
and Sahara Group, has expanded its total fleet capacity to 162,000 cubic
metres. Its growing fleet includes MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas,
MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
The newly launched LPG carrier is a dual-fuel, fully
refrigerated vessel designed to enhance energy delivery across West Africa.
In July 2024, NNPC Ltd. also signed a major
maintenance agreement with WAGL Energy for the operation and upkeep of the
Escravos Crude Oil Terminal in Delta State, further strengthening collaboration
between the two companies.
Symbolism of the Launch
The symbolic ribbon-cutting for MT Iyaloja (Lagos)
was performed by the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat
Tinubu-Ojo. The vessel was named in honour of her grandmother, Alhaja Abibatu
Mogaji, MFR, a revered market leader and the late mother of President Tinubu.
Looking Ahead
With the commissioning of the MT Iyaloja (Lagos),
stakeholders believe Nigeria is one step closer to achieving its goal of
affordable clean energy access for homes, industries, and businesses while
expanding its strategic footprint in the global energy market.
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