The Federal Government has commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for
venturing into the development of renewable energy across the country.
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, gave this commendation Thursday during
his visit to the NNPC’s pavilion at the ongoing Technology and Innovation Expo 2018 at the
Eagles Square in Abuja.
Dr. Onu said the NNPC’s foray into renewable energy would help the country to maintain energy
security, boost the national economy and position her for fuel export market.
“It is important that we spend a lot of our energy in making sure that we prepare for the future
and the future is in renewable energy. I feel happy that this is going on. We are collaborating
with NNPC in that respect to make it a reality,” Dr. Onu affirmed.
Dr. Onu disclosed that his Ministry was interfacing with the corporation in converting flared
gas into methanol, adding that methanol and ethanol production in the country would go a long
way in making the country stable in energy supply.
“Because of the abundance of natural gas in Nigeria, we should be able to use all the flared gas
and convert it into methanol which will make it more useful not just in energy but in power and
petrochemical industries. We need to build a strong chemical industry in Nigeria to enable us
industrialize in a manner that will make us truly a great nation,” Dr. Onu enthused.
The Minister thanked the NNPC for participating in the expo and for the support it gave to the
Ministry in hosting Technology and Innovation Expo, stressing that the mere participation of the
corporation is very important to the entire expo.
