The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited says the Most Outstanding Contribution in the Industry Award it won at the recently concluded World LNG Virtual Summit and Awards was a testament to the deliberate commitment of the country to develop and monetize its vast gas reserves for the benefits of Nigerians.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG, Tony Attah said this during recent visits to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, to brief them on the award.

Attah, who was accompanied on the visits by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams; and Manager, Government Relations, Andy Odeh, explained that the company was recognized, as a joint winner in a nomination group consisting of top LNG companies, for its growth strategy and for the bold decision by NLNG’s shareholders to proceed with the Train 7 project amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stated the Company was strengthened by the renewed commitment by the Federal Government to make gas a priority energy source for the country, adding that the decision to declare the “Decade of Gas” would further drive the zeal to monetize the country’s gas resources and, will ensure that Nigeria, through NLNG, has a major role to play in the energy transition.

“We are delighted to be recognized for our contributions. This award is very special; it has come in a year when we strived under the impact of the pandemic to sustain our business and to keep our people safe.”

“2020 is a year of many dimensions for different companies, but it has turned out to be a remarkable year on the back of our ambition to grow and increase our production capacity by 35% from 22 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA. This ambition led to our signing the EPC for Train 7 project in May 2020. Our ambition is coming to life”.

The Nigeria LNG CEO, who has been described as an “oil and gas business leader”, said his company’s passion for growth and its vision of “Helping to Build a Better Nigeria” has already earned NLNG the Thisday Company of Decade award, stating further that the Company was poised for the future with the support of the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and other major stakeholders.

He stressed that the country needs to be in the right position to capitalize on the gains of gas as a major energy source in the energy transition and called for accelerated development of gas resources before stiffer competition from renewable energy sets in.

He commended the Minister for major milestone gas projects during the year which included the declaration of the “Decade for Gas”, the AKK Gas Pipeline Project and the Autogas/AutoCNG scheme, stating that “gas is the future which is why we support the position that it is time to unleash the full gas potential of this nation. Indeed, the time for gas is now.”

Attah pledged NLNG’s continued support in the advocacy for gas utilization in Nigeria through its Domestic LPG and Domestic LNG initiatives.

NLNG is owned by four Shareholders; namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49%), Shell Gas B.V.  (25.6%), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l (10.4%).