Onome Amuge
L-R: Nasir Giwa, refinery coordinator, BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd.; Ahmed Usman Ododo, governor, Kogi State; Aliyu Idi Hong, government relations, BUA Group; Ekperikpo Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (Gas); Pius Akinyelure, chairman, NNPC Board; and Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, minister of Steel Devt. during the groundbreaking ceremony.
BUA Group, one of Africa’s leading manufacturing, mining, foods, and infrastructure conglomerates, has commenced a joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, aimed at developing a 700-tonne-per-day (700TPD), 45 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) mini-LNG plant, aimed at boosting the company’s manufacturing capacity while promoting gas usage for cleaner energy.
The groundbreaking ceremony held recently at Ajaokuta, Kogi State was attended by the company executives, energy industry stakeholders and digitaries including Abdul Samad Rabiu, the founder/executive chairman of BUA Group; Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Kogi State governor; Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (Gas); Pius Akinyelure, NNPC board chairman; Mele Kyari, GCEO NNPC; Farook Ahmed, authority executive of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), amongst others.
Speaking at the event, BUA chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu said the LNG plant upon completion, will ensure that BUA’s captive power plants are provided with much-needed gas with limited supply downtime, thus enhancing its production and manufacturing capacity while
positioning BUA to be fully integrated into the value chain of its energy supply operations.
Rabiu described the project as a win-win for Nigeria, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision and promoting gas usage for cleaner energy.
“NNPC will provide critical gas feedstock for a 10% stake in the plant, and BUA will provide 100% financing while driving execution. This is a testament that public-private partnerships under the right government policies can deliver transformative results,” he said.
Moreso, the BUA LNG plant is set to ensure cost efficiency, supply stability, and sustainability for BUA’s operations while reinforcing Nigeria’s industrial future.
Covering a land area of about 16 hectares, it will primarily serve BUA’s captive power plants across its manufacturing businesses in Nigeria and provide gas for other uses within the country.
This, according to the group, is geared towards operational efficiency in alignment with the national energy transition initiative.
Mele Kyari, the NNPC chief, in his speech stated that it is rightly timed to have the 5 mini-LNG
plants in Kogi State of which BUA LNG is one, considering its strategic location at the crossroads of Nigeria’s North and South, in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
The signing ceremony for the project, which held within the week at the NNPC Nigeria Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) headquarters in Abuja, was attended by Kabiru Rabiu, BUA’s group executive director; Oluseye Alayande, chief legal officer; and NGML’s leadership team led by Justin Ezeala.
