During the 6th Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, Osagie Okunbor, Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, disclosed that the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria was shut down for one year due to the theft of crude oil and illegal connections.
Okunbor stated that 460 illegal connections were discovered and removed from the TNP before it could be restored. The shutdown of the pipeline had a grave impact on the supply of gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited during the period.
In response to a question on what the incoming administration should address in the oil sector, Okunbor stressed that the security of oil infrastructure should be given priority. He further added that Nigeria had frameworks and written documents on how to tackle the challenges in the oil sector, but their implementation remained an issue.
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The lack of willpower to execute recommendations and policies in various documents and laws of the oil sector has remained a challenge to the industry, as noted by the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited, Dr. Philip Mshelbila.
During the summit, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, announced the Federal Government’s plan to generate 5,300 megawatts of electricity from solar, as well as producing six billion litres of biofuel annually.
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Osinbajo emphasized that Nigeria and other African countries have the natural resources to develop their own agenda for a green future, and the country’s energy transition plan calls for the ramping up of solar cells.
