JOHANNESBURG - Nigeria is this week hosting an African petroleum, technology and business conference, in line with the country's recent proclamation to make 2020 its "year of gas".
In a statement the African Energy Chamber, which works with indigenous energy focused companies throughout the continent to optimise their reach and networks, said it would on the ground to participate in some 20 sessions during the February 9-12 conference.
Nigeria’s petroleum resources ministry will use the conference to formally launch its National Gas Transportation Network Code which aims to ensure that the wrong quality of gas does not go into the pipeline, in addition to guaranteeing open access to pipelines and common understanding on metering.
It is also expected to provide a uniform platform in terms of guidelines for agreements between buyers and sellers which will ensure transparency and eliminate existing bottlenecks.
"We look forward to the launch and hope that it will rightly position Nigeria to experience 2020 as its "year of gas", the African Energy Chamber said.
It said one key session at the conference would bring together oil and gas sector cabinet ministers from Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Congo Republic, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria, to discuss the overarching theme of this year’s conference: “Widening the Integration Circle”.
It will discuss how Africa can evolve into a significant actor on both the regional and international energy stage and how oil-producing and oil-consuming countries can better cooperate within the continent.
Host country Nigeria, which boasts Africa's biggest economy, having overtaken South Africa, is also the continent's largest oil and gas producer.