How To Drive Energy Transition In Developing Countries-NLNG Boss

Mohammed Shosanya

The Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of Nigeria Liquefiec Natural Gas Limited,Dr. Philip Mshelbila,says developing nations need huge investment in infrastructural development to drive its energy transition in an efficient and equitable way.

He stated at a Global leadership panel on Energy inclusion: Widening access to natural gas and LNG to support the transition to lower -carbon energy system in emerging economics, at George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas, USA.

Dr. Mshelbila said that dearth of quality infrastructure like insufficient pipelines, storage, regasification facilities, high costs of importing LNG, Energy poverty like limited access to affordable energy are key issues that must be addressed.

According to him,addressing these challenges and leveraging on solutions, emerging economies can widen access to natural gas and LNG, supporting a lower-carbon energy transition and energy inclusion.

He expressed that the global energy policymakers must create energy equity and inclusion to ensure that the average African women’s daily energy needs are met.  He cautioned that there were consequences for energy exclusion and that the concept of energy inclusion was key to meeting climate energy goals.

He spoke on growing population and energy needs,saying: ‘’Nigeria’s population is estimated to be around 200 million and by 2050, it is estimated to grow to about 250 million ,and most of them are young people who will need one form of  energy,  in one way or the other.  So, it is expedient to have various energy mix to carter for this growing population.

He noted that the Nigerian government is doing all it can to meet up with the energy needs of its growing population, using natural gas as its transition fuel.

He said that in 2020, the government launched the Decade of gas and NLNG is solidly behind it and playing a huge role in the decade of gas initiative.

He stated that currently,NLNG supplies almost 40 per cent of Nigeria’s LPG demand in-country, delivering over 400,000 tonnes.

He added:‘’Our company’s focus on the domestic market solidifies its reputation as a top-tier global player. Also, by channeling the LPG, we are invariably displacing Charcoal and wood burning which release pollutants that causes about 1.6 million premature deaths annually.”

He also posited that Nigeria and other developing nations needs energy to move forward in their industrialization agendas and natural gas will play a vital role in it.

He called on gas producing nations to explore how they can maximize the natural gas in developing their nations.

He noted that diversity, equity and inclusion are  key cardinal issues that can help in fast racking the progress of energy transition in developing economies.

Other stakeholders also highlighted the need for Infrastructure development in pipelines, LNG terminals, storage facilities, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborative investments, Financing mechanisms: Green bonds, concessional loans, development of  national energy plans, and good regulatory frameworks as action plans that can aid in  equitable energy transition.