President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s commitment to retaining Nigeria’s position as the regional leader in the oil and gas industry.
The President formally opened the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre (NOGEC), on Thursday in Lagos stating that the center is aimed at strengthening the Industry’s position in the region.
Buhari added that the establishment of NOGEC, situated at the Lagos Annex of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), would enhance safety, value and cost efficiency in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Similar, he said the centre would boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generate employment and poverty reduction.
“It is therefore another milestone in the development of the oil and gas sector and its utilisation for the greater good of the country.
“The establishment of NOGEC is an indication that the Nigerian oil and gas industry has come of age despite the odds,” he added.
Moreover, the president said the Federal Government had made some significant achievements in the oil and gas industry in spite of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which affected global economies, including Nigeria’s, in 2020.
The achievements, Buhari said, included the signing of the Final Investment Decision on the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas Company Train 7, construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project and inauguration of the 5,000BPD Waltersmith Refinery in Imo State.
However, he urged stakeholders to rededicate themselves in nation’s building and take advantage of the establishment of the centre to address the challenges confronting the sector.
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