Nigeria Seeks Cooperation With Qatar On Gas Development

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Gabriel Taminu Aduda has called for cooperation between Nigeria and the State of Qatar in the area of gas development.

Aduda according to a statement from the Embassy of Nigeria in Doha, made the call when he met with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, His Excellency, Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, in Doha.

The Federal Government is currently deepening natural gas utilization to enable it boost investment in power and gas-based industries.

The government has committed huge resources to ensure that domestic gas infrastructure reach every corner of the country to deepen natural gas utilization.

Nigeria has over 203 trillion standard cubic feet of proven gas reserves which the government is monetizing with the introduction of numerous policies and industry interventions.

This culminated in the declaration of 2020 as the year of gas and progressing into the decade of gas from 2021.

The Nigerian National Petroluem Company Ltd and its partners have embarked on a number of strategic projects to deepen delivery of gas to the domestic market and elevate the build-up of greater potentials for export.

Some of the projects that have been implemented to boost the gas sector are the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System Phase 2, commissioning of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben Lot 2, the NPDC Oredo Gas Handling Facility, and the SEEPCO Gas Processing Plant.

There is also the ongoing strategic backbone gas infrastructure projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline, the OB3 final hook-up, the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline and several other gas-based industries initiatives.

All these are expected to herald the sunrise of gas revolution in Nigeria country within the decade.

Speaking at the meeting, Aduda also called for investment in gas exploration and infrastructure; technology exchange, skills acquisition and knowledge sharing; manpower development in safety and environment; gas shipping and marine transportation, as well as advocacy and collaboration in campaigning for gas as fuel of choice in the midst of climate change and global energy transition.

Other areas he touched was the relaxation of visa restrictions on Nigerians who intend to visit Qatar and relaxation of work place visa restrictions on Nigerian professionals.

The Permanent Secretary stated further during the meeting that one vital area the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria had resolved to focus and improve upon was the training and re-training of Staff.

He said the training program of Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar ranks among the best in the world and cuts across all categories of staff.

Aduda discussed support and cooperation in capacity building for knowledge, skills and competencies for foreign service officers in line with the Qatari Competency Framework.

He also called for training of foreign service officers; collaboration between Nigerian Foreign Service Institute, the National Institute for International Affairs and Qatari Diplomatic Institute; provision of scholarship opportunities to Nigerians in the Qatari Diplomatic Institute; possibility of collaborative online studies between the two countries.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar. Ambassador Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi in his response recalled the excellent relations between Nigeria and Qatar and welcomed the proposal for cooperation between the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar and the Foreign Service Academy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.

He assured the Permanent Secretary that Qatar is ready to provide training for Nigerian diplomats.

To achieve this, he said the Head of the Diplomatic Institute will meet with the Nigerian side and agree on the terms and develop a framework to actualize set objectives.

According to him, the programme will involve the training of Nigerian Diplomats in the Qatari Diplomatic Institute in Doha and the provision of manpower and other needed assistance to the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy.

He also welcomed the call for investment and collaboration in gas exploration and development between the two countries.

The Permanent Secretary was accompanied to the Meeting by the Nigerian Ambassador to the State of Qatar, His Excellency, Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed and the Head of Chancery, Mr. Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.