PANDEF Backs Tinubu's Gas Push for Nigeria's First FLNG Project

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has expressed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's plan to provide gas for UTM Offshore Limited's Floating Liquefied Natural Gas project. The forum, in a letter to the president, pledged to mobilize Niger Delta communities to back the 15-year gas supply framework.

PANDEF National Chairman Ambassador Godknows Igali described the approval as an opportunity to change the economic fortunes of the Niger Delta through indigenous participation in the gas industry. He said the investment could mark a decisive shift in the region's economic story, from one primarily associated with oil and gas extraction to one increasingly involved in processing, value addition, and ownership of major energy projects.

The forum believes that the construction phase alone has the potential to generate substantial employment and stimulate a network of businesses and economic activities across the region. PANDEF also linked the project to the broader challenge of gas flaring, expressing optimism that greater commercial utilisation of Nigeria's gas reserves would contribute to reducing the environmental burden that has plagued oil-producing communities for decades.

The forum praised Dr Julius Rone's involvement in the project, saying his emergence as a relatively young Niger Delta entrepreneur behind such a major project should inspire others to pursue ambitious investments in the region. PANDEF urged the Federal Government to continue providing necessary cooperation to enable UTM Offshore to deliver the project within its projected timeline.