President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to delivering clean and sustainable energy solutions across Africa and beyond.
Speaking at the commissioning of a 40,000 cubic meter (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), in Ulsan, South Korea, the President commended WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group for its strategic role in advancing Africa’s energy transition.
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, President Tinubu commended WAGL, NNPC Ltd., and Sahara Group for their foresight, technical excellence, and dedication to positioning Africa in the global clean energy value chain.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by Executive Vice President (Gas, Power & New Energy), Olalekan Ogunleye, described the vessel as a milestone in Nigeria’s gas sector.
He stressed that it would play a key role in deepening LPG affordability, availability, and access nationwide.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous company which, in addition to MT Iyaloja (Lagos), operates four other LPG vessels. Over the last five years, WAGL has delivered more than 6 million metric tons of LPG across West Africa,” Ojulari said.
WAGL’s Chairman and Sahara Group Executive Director, Temitope Shonubi, said the vessel embodies the company’s vision of bridging Africa’s energy infrastructure gap.
“The MT Iyaloja (Lagos) reflects the spirit of progress and empowerment championed by the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose legacy we honour today. Sahara Group remains committed to partnerships that expand energy access across the continent,” Shonubi noted.
WAGL Managing Director, Mohammed Sani Bello, disclosed that the company plans to further expand its fleet within the next two years with the addition of a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC).
The vessel, is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier, which expands WAGL’s fleet capacity to 162,000 CBM, joining MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.