President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to deliver clean and sustainable energy solutions within the country, across Africa and beyond.
He made the remarks on Friday at the commissioning of a 40,000 cubic metre Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), in Ulsan, South Korea.
The vessel, owned by WAGL Energy Limited – a joint venture between NNPC Limited and Sahara Group – is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier. Its addition brings WAGL’s total LPG vessel capacity to 162,000 CBM, complementing the existing fleet of MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK and MT Sapet.
Speaking on behalf of the President, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended NNPC Ltd., Sahara Group and WAGL for their strategic foresight and technical excellence. He said the initiative would further strengthen Africa’s role in the global clean energy value chain.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, described the new vessel as a milestone for Nigeria’s gas development. He noted that the company is committed to improving LPG affordability, availability and access nationwide.
“In addition to MT Iyaloja (Lagos), WAGL has delivered over six million metric tonnes of LPG across West Africa in the last five years through its existing fleet,” Ojulari stated.
WAGL’s Chairman and Sahara Group Executive Director, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, said the expansion reflects the company’s vision of bridging Africa’s critical energy infrastructure gap.
He added that naming the vessel after the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, mother of President Tinubu, symbolised progress and empowerment.
WAGL’s Managing Director, Mr. Mohammed Sani Bello, disclosed that the company plans to add a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier to its fleet within the next two years.
The commissioning ceremony climaxed with the symbolic ribbon-cutting performed by the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo, granddaughter of Alhaja Mogaji.
