The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel Tanimu Aduda has stated that, in the drive toward energy transition, Nigeria and Indeed Africa should define their own terms, pace, timing and agenda of participation.
Aduda made the call in Abuja at the ongoing NOG Energy Week Conference and Exhibition.
The Permanent Secretary who delivered the Ministerial address, spoke on, “Plans and Priorities for Nigeria’s Energy Mix” noted that the renewable energy alternative options also come with inherent challenges as they don’t come cheap.
Aduda posited that ascribing climate change as a rationale for reducing investments that will take the continent out of energy poverty is unwarranted and not fair as Africa barely contributes an insignificant percentage to the global emission crisis, adding that Africa’s access to energy is tied to the optimization of its resources such as Gas.
Speaking further, Aduda said that the conversation around energy transition away from Carbon Fuels as canvassed by leading western economies does not support Africa’s economic development and prosperity.
He however stated that investments in infrastructure, technology and capacity building are ways by which we can achieve a sustainable energy transition, reap the benefits of energy transition and compete favorably with the rest of the world, using gas as our transition fuel.
He told the gathering that the federal government on its part was building policies around this path and creating other incentives for the sector, citing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) intervention fund in the Gas sector, the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) 614km-long natural gas pipeline.
Other speakers at the events are the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (GCEO), Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari, Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), H.E Haithan al-Ghais among others.
In attendance among other dignitaries was Mr.Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, former OPEC President and current Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Economy and Planning
The theme of the conference is: “Powering Nigeria’s Sustainable Energy Future.”
