Oyo Government, Shell, Unveil Gas Master Plan to Boost Industrialisation

The masterplan unveiling followed the recent flag-off of the construction of the state Gas Infrastructure Development and Distribution Project by Governor Makinde in 2022.

Unveiling the gas master plan at the Courtesy Room of the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, Governor Makinde said the project would serve as catalyst to springboard most of his administration’s policy thrust in his second tenure tagged”Omituntun 2.0″.

He equally affirmed that the possibility of sufficient gas supply would not only expand the economy and increase the number of industries in the state, but would also take most jobless youths off the street, especially with the recent London summit organised by the state to woo investors.

The pact targets the distribution of cleaner and more reliable gas energy to industries in the state through a distribution network with potential for around 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, starting from the state capital, Ibadan, as the point of first entry.

While recieving the Shell Nigeria Gas team in his office, Governor Makinde assured them that the project would be beneficial to emerging industrial corridors and industrial parks/zones including independent power projects.

Also, he noted that it is expected to boost domestic gas consumption, power generation, as well as industrialisation in the country.

He stated: “It will provide stable power generation for industrial and residential use within the state.”

The governor disclosed that he had been running an inclusive government focused on building infrastructure that targets economic growth, affirming that projects embarked upon by his administration cut across all zones of the state, while having direct impact on all strata of the society.

In his remark, the Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Gas, Mr Ed Ubong, who led the visiting team, said the company had already developed a gas master plan that would take gas to all corridors of the state.

Ubong said: “The partnership is an opportunity to further improve domestic gas utilisation in Nigeria, enabling local industries to thrive and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.”

“The Oyo State Gas Distribution Masterplan is the foundation that will allow us to be sure that we have looked at the whole state and we have created the right foundation to bring gas to the industries here in Oyo State,” he noted.

Ubong explained that if the company could get gas to the industries in Oyo State, it would expect the state to have more industries, create more employment and create more economic development.

He revealed that working very closely with Governor Seyi Makinde has been a very great collaboration.