Germany shows interest in Nigeria’s liquefied natural gas AUTHOROkechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

The country’s quest to expand its Liquefied Natural Gas market into Europe received a major boost on Thursday as a visiting German trade delegation indicated desire to get gas from Nigeria.

Leading a large contingent of German business concerns on a visit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Vice Minister for Economic Affairs/Energy and member of the German Parliament, Mr. Uwe Beckmeyer, said the country was seeking development of business relationship with Nigeria to accelerate the supply of LNG, especially to his country’s shipbuilding industry.

Beckmeyer, according to a statement from the NNPC, said Nigeria’s LNG would come in handy as the country and other European industrial powers were seeking to cut down drastically on carbon dioxide emissions arising from heavy industrial operations since LNG was far friendlier to the environment.

“We have a lot of interest in LNG and I think this is one special thing we should develop in the next few years. I think there is increasing demand in Europe, especially as we seek to reduce emissions. It is useful for both sides to develop this special relationship,” he said.Welcoming the delegation, Kachikwu said the oil and gas industry was ready to embrace the interest for improved business relationship expressed by the Germans, noting that the Federal Government was working assiduously with other relevant stakeholders to ensure the activation of the LNG Trains 7 to help accommodate potential off-takers from new markets.

The NNPC, in the statement also stated that governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had expressed satisfaction with the performance of Kachikwu.

The Chairman of the NGF and Zamfara State Governor, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari, who led a team of governors to the NNPC on Thursday, expressed confidence in the ability of Kachikwu, who is also the group managing director of the corporation, to lead the oil and gas industry to the desired levels.

Yari, according to the statement, said the visit of the governors to the NNPC headquarters was indicative of the level of confidence the NGF had in the minister.