en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Decade of Gas Secretariat has emphasized that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Niger River Crossing Project of Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company/Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NGIC/NNPCL) is crucial to Nigeria's gas economy.
Edu Antai, Head of Technical/Media Relations at the Decade of Gas Secretariat, disclosed this in a statement released after a one-day media capacity-building event that concluded on Friday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The training, organized by the Decade of Gas Secretariat in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), aimed to enhance public understanding of Nigeria's gas sector through media capacity building.
Thirty journalists from television, radio, print, and digital media platforms participated in the meeting to deepen their understanding of Nigeria's gas development agenda and strengthen reporting on the role of gas in driving economic growth, energy security, industrialization, job creation, and improved living standards.
Taofeek Balogun of the Decade of Gas Secretariat revealed during the meeting that the Port Harcourt session was the third in a series of media events beginning in 2025, following similar meetings previously held in Lagos and Abuja. He noted that Nigeria's gas sector continues to achieve significant progress, with year-to-date gas production reaching 7.85 billion standard cubic feet per day. He stated: "Domestic gas utilization has surpassed the 2 billion standard cubic feet per day mark, while gas exports have risen to their highest level in five years, reflecting growing demand in power generation, industry, transportation, exports, and household consumption."
Balogun highlighted the successful completion of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Niger River Crossing Project by NGIC/NNPCL, describing it as "a critical infrastructure milestone that will improve gas transportation across the country, support industrial growth, attract investment, strengthen energy security, and promote economic development."
He reiterated the Federal Government's commitment to increasing access to clean cooking solutions, stating that the government aims to distribute cooking gas cylinders to 5 million households by 2030. Balogun noted that following the successful promotion of the project across six geopolitical zones by Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), implementation will move to the state level, starting with Bayelsa State in July 2026. Under the plan, Bayelsa State is expected to have 27,000 households receive cooking gas cylinders within the year, as part of the annual target of 1 million households.
Tosin Coker, Chief Operating Officer of Pi-CNG & EV, emphasized ongoing efforts to expand the adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric mobility solutions as cleaner, more affordable transportation alternatives for Nigerians. He revealed that the Federal Government is promoting CNG adoption across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) by retrofitting existing fleets and procuring CNG-powered vehicles, as part of broader efforts to reduce transportation costs and improve energy efficiency. Coker stated that under the initiative, over 100,000 vehicles have been converted to CNG nationwide, "reflecting growing acceptance of alternative fuel solutions and supporting the country's transition to cleaner, more sustainable transportation."
Participants commended the initiative, stating that it strengthened media capacity and enhanced public understanding of developments in Nigeria's energy sector. The meeting concluded with the Decade of Gas Secretariat and Pi-CNG & EV reaffirming their commitment to continued stakeholder engagement and public awareness as Nigeria progresses toward a gas-driven economy.
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