Energy Transition: Africa should leverage on its gas reserves- NGA scribe

An energy expert, Mr Odianosen Masade, has urged the African continent to adopt a diversified approach to the energy transition quest and leverage on its abundant gas reserves.

Masada, Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) expressed the view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Yenagoa.

He said amidst the lingering global energy crisis and calls to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy to reduce carbon emission, the NGA advocates a diversified approach to energy transition..

According to Masade, Africa needs to be cautious and consider the pertinent issues in transitioning from fossil fuel to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources.

He said Africa accounts for the least share of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Masada said, ”while Africa’s contribution is just 3.8 per cent, China, the USA and the European Union contribute  23 per cent, 19 per cent, and 13 per cent, respectively. 

”While Africa is the least industrialized of all the continents of the world, it is one of the most vulnerable to climate change caused by carbon emissions.”

Masade decried that the developed economies responsible for the climate change challenges took over a century to reposition for fossil transition, while Africa is expected to transit soon.

He applauded the recent transformation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into a commercially and profit-oriented business entity. 

Masade said energy sector experts have long advocated the privatization of the public-owned behemoth to increase its efficiency and separate its regulatory, revenue generating, and oil production components.

“The idea is for the entity to become profitable. With privatization, the NNPC will be relieved of all the burdens of government control and become autonomous. 

“The NNPC can now be listed on the Stock Exchange, secure investments and generate more revenue for the country,” Masada said.

The NGA scribe, however said there was  the need for proper implementation of the new policy without jettisoning proposed changes in the operations of the company in the new era.

Masade, who is also the Corporate Communications Lead, Eroton Exploration & Production Company, examined some of the socio-economic and political issues shaping the global energy market. 

The indicators, he said, include the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the controversial visit of United States House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and the latest meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+). 

OPEC+ is an oil supply rival pressure group consisting of the 13 OPEC members and 10 of the world’s major non-OPEC oil-exporting nations.

The organization is aimed at regulating  the supply of oil in order to set the price on the world market.

“The meeting was held against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine