- NNPC said the new vessel will ensure affordable LPG supply nationwide while strengthening Nigeria’s role in West Africa’s gas market.
- Sahara Group said MT Iyaloja represents progress and empowerment, paying tribute to late Abibatu Mogaji, mother of President Tinubu.
President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria is ready to champion clean and sustainable energy solutions across Africa and beyond.
The president made the declaration on Monday during the inauguration of a 40,000 cubic metres liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), in Ulsan, South Korea.
He was represented at the ceremony by the minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
Tinubu commended WAGL Energy Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), and Sahara Group, describing them as partners whose foresight and technical expertise have advanced Africa’s place in the global clean energy market.
The group chief executive officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, said the commissioning of the vessel marked another milestone in Nigeria’s gas sector.
Ojulari, represented by Olalekan Ogunleye, executive vice-president of gas, power and new energy, explained that the vessel would enhance the role of gas in driving economic growth.
He stressed that NNPC remained committed to ensuring the affordability and accessibility of LPG nationwide.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous company which, in addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owns four other LPG vessels in its growing fleet, delivering over six million metric tonnes of LPG across West Africa over the last five years,” Ojulari said.
The chairman of WAGL and executive director of Sahara Group, Temitope Shonubi, said the company’s expansion was aimed at bridging Africa’s infrastructure gap.
According to him, the new vessel represents progress and honours the legacy of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, mother of Tinubu.
“The addition of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment championed by the iconic Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose legacy we honour,” he said.
Also speaking, the managing director of WAGL, Sani Bello, disclosed that the firm planned to expand its fleet in the next two years with the acquisition of a small gas carrier and a very large gas carrier.
The statement noted that the new LPG carrier is dual-fuelled and fully refrigerated, with a capacity of 40,000 cubic metres.
With its inclusion, WAGL’s total LPG capacity has risen to 162,000 CBM, adding to its other vessels, namely MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
The symbolic ribbon cutting was performed by Tinubu’s daughter, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-general of Nigeria, in honour of her grandmother.