By Uthman Salami
The Federal Government has disclosed that it is working at covering the Trans-Saharan and European markets with the ongoing construction of the Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano Gas Pipeline, commonly referred to as AKK Gas Pipeline.
The billion Dollar project, the biggest single gas project in Nigeria, is expected to boost domestic gas consumption, power generation and industrialization.
The minister of petroleum resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, made this known at a forum organized by the media outfit.
He revealed that the gas pipeline would be one of the many legacy projects of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
According to Sylva, “The plan is if we can get it to Kano, then it can continue all the way to Algeria at the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline and then link up with the Algerian pipeline and then we move it to Europe. So, our gas can move all the way from the South to the European market. So, it is a very important piece of infrastructure and the president is very committed to it and it is very much on track.”
He further pointed out that when completed, the gas pipeline would also serve as a development backbone along the Southern-Northern corridors of the country.
He added that “AKK gas pipeline is good for producers and the market because we have a lot of situations where gas is capped in the South and not produced because there is no market. But what we want to do now is to bring the gas across Nigeria, so that when you are now moving gas from South to North, all the people along that corridor can key into that pipeline.
He said the construction of the AKK Gas Pipeline will eliminate gas flaring completely in the country as it will absorb the remaining 8% currently being flared, noting that about 92% of the gas flares had been taken down.
The minister noted that gas flaring is no longer the major problem of the communities as all the gas that goes into the NLNG and the power plants, were previously flared, adding that they also use some of the gas to spike the crude oil.
“Gas flaring is no longer a problem in the Niger Delta, eight per cent of gas being flared cannot be the problem. If I don’t know what to do with my gas that is when I flare, but if I can monetise my gas, why should I burn it when I can make money out of it.
“In fact, it is in my interest not to burn my gas because it now has value. The problem with gas before was that it has no value because nobody was buying it. But now, if I can monetise it, I will be guarding it so that I can get some benefits from it,” he added.