The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Thursday urged gas producing companies and other key players in the gas industry to promote local production of gas cylinders.
Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, the IPMAN Board of Trustees Chairman, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos against the backdrop of substandard cylinders in circulation.
He said that the aim would be realised if stakeholders in the gas business could come together to deepen utilisation of gas and address the challenges in the sector.
Abdulkadir also advised gas operating companies and stakeholders in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG or cooking gas) downstream sector to develop a strategy that would drive the manufacturing of cylinders.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was committed to promoting the manufacturing subsector in all sectors of the economy, particularly, in the oil and gas industry.
He anchored such decision on the potentialities of the nation’s economy in creating thousands of jobs, discouraging capital flight from the country and developing technology.
He described gas cylinder manufacturing as a quick win, adding that gas producing companies and gas stakeholders played key roles in the establishment of a cylinder manufacturing company in the country.
According to him, once the government and industry operators agree on the framework, it will attract investors to put down their funds on assets that will deepen long term contracts.
“Gas cylinders are tied directly to a huge market; the opportunities are there, even across the Gulf of Guinea.
“Once local manufacturing of gas cylinders begins, government will ban the importation of gas cylinders and insist that LPG producers deliver gas only to facilities that comply with extant policies,’’ he said.
Abdulkadir urged the Federal Government and gas operating companies to ensure commitment to gas cylinder manufacturing.
He advised that the government, the Bank of Industry (BoI), the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Central Bank of Nigeria to work together to enhance the success of the project.
NAN reports that the most gas cylinder manufacturing companies in the country are facing challenges bothering on operations.