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On March 8, 2022, Nigeria’s verting the enormous gas re- as the rest of the world. In
Minister of State for Petro- sources currently being flared addition, the US DOE (Depart-
leum, Chief Timipre Sylva spo- to Ammonia. Ammonia pre- ment of Energy) has promised
ke to the audience. His speech sents significant revenue po- to assist Nigeria with develop-
focused on the challenges fa- tential for Nigeria, particularly ment partners to develop its
ced by African nations in emb- now that the European Union gas resources. Nigeria’s Upst-
racing the global energy tran- has announced its long-antici- ream Petroleum Regulatory
sition. According to him, in- pated plans (net-zero prog- Commission ( NUPRC) team
vestors backing renewable ram) to make importers and met with Brendan Kelly of the
fuels have cut funding for oil non-EU producers pay for car- U.S Department of Commerce
projects, reducing oil, gas, and bon emissions associated with and Puneet Sharma of Cyan
coal production faster than re- the goods and materials they NH3 to discuss the potential of
newable energy sources could sell in the EU. This would ne- methane abatement in Nigeria,
replace them, pushing up pri- gatively impact vessels using especially for the use of am-
ces. He said that “Nigeria is fossil fuels to enter EU territo- monia for fertilizer or export,
now facing a double blow from ry. Heating oil and other fossil in collaboration with the U.S.
high prices of gas for cooking fuels may be replaced by am- government. If ongoing discus-
that it imports and lack of in- monia as an alternative fuel sions with the U.S. government
vestment in its oil industry, as source. The U.S Secretary of and proposed development
banks and funds have been State for Energy, Jennifer partners are successful, not
pushing to restrict investment Granholm asked for a collabo- only will environmental degra-
in oil globally to cut greenhou- ration with the Nigerian go- dation be eradicated, but peo-
se gas emissions and fight cli- vernment for the development ple’s health will also be safe-
mate change.” Due to a lack of of the country’s gas resources, guarded. In addition to gene-
financing to maintain its oil acknowledging that with the rating foreign exchange, this
facilities, Nigeria had to redu- development of natural gas, bi-lateral cooperation has the
ce oil production from 1,8 mil- Nigeria can achieve its net- potential to revitalize the cou-
lion barrels per day (bpd) to zero emissions target faster ntry’s economy.
less than 1.5 million bpd in the and better as well
past. Loss of production could
have contributed to global sup-
ply as the world now looks for
alternatives to Russian oil.
During the conference, the
Nigerian delegation focused
on the energy transition agen-
da and met with certain U.S
officials. Americans and their
Nigerian counterparts reached
convergence on the respon-
sible monetization of Nigeria’s
gas resources. The U.S. offi-
cials expressed their interest
in a bi-lateral partnership with
Nigeria, which aimed at con-
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