By YANGE IKYAA
The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), which is the apex professional body responsible for the promotion and protection of the interests of the gas industry in Nigeria, has said it will hold its annual industry forum on Tuesday, December 14 to explore business opportunities for gas in Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) regime.
In consonance with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s vision in pivoting to natural gas as a key driver of the nation’s economic development in the energy transition era, the largest gas industry advocacy group will gather leading stakeholders to explore the progress made so far in 2021 and the opportunities for accelerating gas development, following the newly passed PIA.
The NGA, is a chartered member of the International Gas Union (IGU), and its 2021 Business Forum is themed “Petroleum Industry Act: Progress and Opportunities in the Decade of Gas”. It is a national, non-profit organization promoting the development of the Nigerian gas industry, and remains the voice of the gas industry and has consistently organized impactful engagement programmes, providing opportunities for cross-pollination of resourceful ideas and networking to leverage growth potentials of the entire gas value chain.
The virtual discourse will feature conversations from experts and key stakeholders in the whole gas value chain, where they will broadly discuss progress and pertinent issues surrounding the actualization of a gas-powered economy in 2021 and the outlook for 2022.
They will also discuss policies and areas of improvement and tactfully proffer actionable solutions towards the advancement of the natural gas industry, following the declaration of a decade of gas and putting in place of the by the Nigerian government.
Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources, Honourable Timipre Sylva,is expected to deliver the keynote speechat the Forum. Other prominent industry stakeholders expected to contribute to the discourse include group managing director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari; CEO, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Engr. Farouk A. Ahmed; CEO, Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, country chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor; and Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria, Richard Kennedy.
Also expected at the event are the group executive director, gas & power, NNPC, AbdulKabir M. Ahmed; managing director, NLNG, Dr. Philip Mshelbila; CEO, Axxela Limited, Bolaji Osunsanya; ; managing director, Anoh Gas, Okechukwu Mba; managing director, Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN), Olalekan Ogunleye; immediate past president of the nga and co-founder/deputy managing director, Falcon Corporation Limited, Audrey Joe-Ezigbo; founder/managing director, Latimer Energy, Olu Verheijen; managing partner, ENR Advisory, ‘Gbite Adeniji; and executive secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Dr. Joy Ogaji.
Commenting, president, NGA Ed Ubong, said that the “NGA Business Forum” aligns with its mandate of creating the right platform for gas advocacy; providing opportunity for players to share ideas, interrogate policy frameworks and engage government and critical stakeholders with the sole aim accelerating Nigeria gas development
In his words, “the passage of the PIB into law is a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to accelerate development of the oil and gas industry in an energy transition era. For us at the NGA and as the frontline advocacy group for gas, we are keen to explore the potentials offered by the PIA and how we can leverage the legislation to deliver the imperatives of the decade of gas.
“Given the criticality of gas towards Nigeria economic development, prosperity and energy security, it is expedient that industry leaders take a look back at 2021 and provide a holistic outlook for 2022 proffering robust, sustainable and actionable solutions towards actualizing a gas-powered economy.”
The forthcoming business forum is expected to attract industry professionals and technocrats, international delegations, CEOs of major international oil and gas companies and regulatory authorities, industry professionals and technocrats, policymakers, as well as key players in the financial sector and affiliate industries, among several others.