Nigerian Government Commences The Conversion Of Cars, Generating Sets For Gas Fuelling, October
PIB To Priortise Gas Use –Sylva
By Olatunde R. Olusola
Plan by the Government of Nigeria to come up with a policy that will kickstart the process of converting cars and generating sets for gas fueling, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has disclosed. Sylva spoke on NTA’s “Good Morning Nigeria” which was monitored on Monday.
The Minister has shortly after assuming office, last year, vowed to provide alternative fuel that would be cheaper and affordable for the common man and early this year, had pledged to provide the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG ) that would sell for about N97 (US$0.25) per litre as alternative to petrol.
According to him, the Federal Government will convert the vehicles free of charge as a measure to lessen the impact of the hike of petrol pump price on the populace, insisting that vehicles can be fueled by petrol and gas with the necessary calibration.
He predicated the government’s decision for alternative as a measure to embrace clean energy to crash the demand for petrol. “The alternative we are now introducing is gas, which is definitely going to be cheaper than the subsidised rate of petrol. So, what we are trying to encourage Nigerians to do now is to convert their cars to dual fuel” he stressed
“That means your car can use either gas or petrol and that will be done for free because the government is going to ensure that you are able to convert your vehicles for free.
“And when you convert your car for free, you go to the filling station, you see the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) you see the price of gas, you can decide to buy LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), you can decide to buy Liquefied Natural gas I(LNG). These are all going to be available and we are going to have a roll out plan for this within October.
“Nigerians will have alternatives. It is like introducing a toll on the roads. When you introduce a tollgate, you are expected and required by law to also create an alternative. So, we are also creating that alternative so that you can go to buy gas.”
The minister disclosed that the least consumer of energy in the country will benefit from the conversation measure that is underway.
Also, the Minister explained that the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would ensure that the nation’s abundant natural gas resources are used to promote national development.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Energy Industry Transformation Summit (NEITS), he added that, in collaboration with stakeholders, the Ministry would promote domestic utilisation of gas resources to create jobs for the teeming youths
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) urged stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to come up with innovative ways to reposition the sector for sustainability as the COVID-19 ravages the world. NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, said industry players needed to set their eyes on a strategy that focuses on people, partnerships, profit and posterity. Kyari explained that the new normal era brought about by the virus had more than ever, reinforced the need to upskill the human capacity within the industry for the next phase, and develop the capacity to attract, train and retain people in the sector.
