By Milcah Tanimu
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Federal Government to harness indigenous technology to address the challenges faced in petroleum refining in Nigeria.
Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community, overseeing Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu States, shared these sentiments during an interview in Awka on Tuesday. He expressed his congratulations to the newly sworn-in ministers and applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for forming his cabinet. Anyaso expressed optimism that the appointed ministers would contribute valuable direction to the administration.
In particular, Anyaso extended his congratulations to Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum, encouraging him to leverage his experience in the petroleum industry and his understanding of the Niger Delta region to enhance the downstream sector.
Highlighting the importance of local petroleum product production, Anyaso stated that only through this avenue could Nigeria’s energy challenges be sustainably resolved. He recommended that the Federal Government initiate conversations with operators of illegal refineries, aiming to incorporate their technology and operations into the national grid.
Anyaso emphasized that the present state of the downstream sector is not viable, and the absence of sufficient refining capacity exacerbates the issue. He suggested that the government should focus on repairing the existing refineries and promoting the establishment of modular refineries.
The IPMAN representative further advocated for a collaboration between the government and IPMAN to implement Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for energy transition. He urged the setup of conversion plants across the nation to enable vehicles and generators to switch to gas-powered engines, reducing the strain on foreign exchange and enhancing sustainability.
Discussion about this post