The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has urged companies and homes to key into gas utilisation, as alternative to fossil fuel.

Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive, NMDPRA, made the call on Monday in Kano, at a one-day stakeholders engagement on “Gas Utilisation in Nigeria”.

Represented by Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution, System, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ahmed encouraged large consumers of petroleum products to operate within the regulatory space as well as adopt the usage of gas.

He said that the federal government was committed to ensuring the sustainable growth of natural gas exploitation and utilisation in Nigeria.

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The chief executive further said that the federal government had put in place various initiative and policy framework including National Gas Expansion Program (NGEP) and the Decade of Gas Program (DOGP).

“The Petroleum Industry Act (2021) has also established within the authority the Midstream and Downstream gas infrastructure funds to catalise gas investment. These efforts are yielding significant results,” he said.

According to him, the NMDPRA, empowered by the PIA act 2021 is poised to enable the growth of the industry.

Ahmed noted that the 12 regulations recently gazetted unlock the golden opportunities and signpost the pathway to energy security.

He said the engagement would create the necessary awareness and make a compelling case for the industry operators to foster a compliance culture which alone guarantees safer and sustainable facilities.

Earlier, Ukoha, represented by regional coordinator Northwest NMDPRA, Mr Samuel Shuaibu, urged consumers to massively adopt usage of gas as it was the transition fuel, and represents a cleaner and more cost-effective energy source.

He said that the meeting was organised, to enlighten the end-user category on the need to urgently obtain the requisite petroleum storage license and to engender the transition from white products to gas at the last mile.

According to him, the Authority’s twelve gazetted regulations define the licensing regimes, procedures and standards for handling petroleum products which when breached pose increased risks.

“We encourage operators and businesses to take advantage of the evolving opportunities in the gas value chain for sustainable business growth by positioning their energy needs to embrace gas derivatives (LNG, LPG, CNG, Auotogas, Propane & Butane),” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Elvis Duriji, NMDPRA’s Head of Gas, said ‘gas was acceptable all over the world, as it was accessible, affordable and by its nature cleaner than diesel’.

Some of the stakeholders who spoke at the event commended the Federal Government for the AKK gas pipeline project and appealed for a timely completion of the project.