Nigerian Govt lauds NLNG for suspending gas export

The Federal Government has commended the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited for suspending the exportation of cooking gas while approving 100 percent domestic supply of the product.

It was gathered that on January 14, 2022, the NLNG said the move was designed to increase LPG availability in Nigeria, diversify its use and support the federal government’s Decade of Gas initiative.

The Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor gave the commendation in a statement released by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Saghir el Mohammed.

According to Ikeazor, such a bold initiative is a welcomed development and a step in the right direction that will not only bring down the price of the commodity but also bring relief to the forests and the ecosystems.

The minister recalled that shortly after the increase in the prices of cooking gas in the country, millions of Nigerians could no longer afford the commodity and consequently resorted to firewood and charcoal as alternatives.

While regretting that cutting the forests for fuel wood and charcoal has been a major cause of deforestation and other climate change challenges, the Minister lamented that wood and charcoal smokes contribute to air pollution and other pollutants that produce greenhouse gases.

In her words, “NLNG should be commended for its sensitivity and responsiveness to the plight of Nigerians.

“For us in the environment sector, this singular decision will not only help in restoring our forests and in addressing some of our climate challenges, but also facilitate the attainment of our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and other aspects of the Paris Agreement.

“We in the environment sector strongly support and believe that by making gas available and affordable, being the cleanest of the fossil fuels, Nigeria is now set towards cutting down on its carbon emissions drastically, thus play a prominent role during the current energy transition period.”