Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has raised an alarm over the level of natural gas wastage happening in Nigeria.

The group noted that the poor gas infrastructure and low industrial capacity in Nigeria only allowed a small fraction of the produced gas to be used, while the bulk of the resource would be wasted.

Mr. Riverson Oppong, the Africa regional director of SPE, who was at the debut edition of Oilda Fireside Chat platform hosted in Lagos, called for investment to be deployed into oil and gas technology to meet the global demand.

He made an example of Ghana, noting that the petroleum industry is structured to drive wastes down to zero, in the pursuit of cleaner energy.

FG pushes transition to clean energy

Recall the federal government is intentionally driving the transition from fossil fuel to gas.

Recently, Nigeria’s first modular Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) extraction plant was commissioned alongside a 20-megawatt gas-to-power project.

The government has also given gas distribution licenses to several businesses including Axxela, NIPCO Plc, Central Horizon Gas Company, Falcon Corporation Limited, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited, and Shell Nigeria Gas Limited.

A move from fossil fuel

Oppong noted that the SPE had mobilized its members to join the global energy transition, as the decarbonization of the petroleum industry becomes more pressing.

He noted that the decarbonization of fossil fuels will spur development in Africa as energy becomes more available and affordable, Leadership News reports.

He explained that it is no longer about migrating away from fossil fuels, but about decarbonizing the industry to achieve net-zero.

He called on governments to speed the transition to reap more economic benefits of their resources, and encouraged petroleum engineers to adopt practices and technologies that produce cleaner energy.

Oppong lamented the emigration of skilled labour, including petroleum engineers from Africa, which has caused a deficit in the skills needed for industrial development.

Engineer Oppong described decarbonization of fossil fuels as the most practical step to accelerate industrial and economic development in Africa, remarking that green energy sources like solar and wind are still very vulnerable to weather conditions and thus would not adequately power homes, businesses and industries.

FG boosts gas infrastructure

In related news, the federal government has improved gas infrastructure in Nigeria, by setting up new refuelling stations across the states.

NMDPRA CEO, Farouk Ahmed, said the agency will be partnering with state governments to convert up to 100,000 vehicles.

He added that plans are underway to launch the Africa Energy Bank to provide financing for such critical energy infrastructure.