The Director of Strategy, Planning & Business Development, Seplat Energy, Mr. Alasdair Mackenzie, said that gas will drive development with minimal emissions at the recently concluded World Energy Capital Assembly (WECA) in London, where he delivered a Keynote Address titled: Leading Nigeria’s Transition – A Model For The Continent.
According to him, “With gas, significant development gains can be achieved with minimal impact on emissions. Whole of Africa has contributed only 3% of global emissions since the Industrial Revolution; sub-Saharan Africa less than 1%”, he said.
Mackenzie noted that there is a strong case for gas as Nigeria’s transition fuel, as it is proven and accepted as a transition fuel in developed North; Africa has large local resources, and Nigeria has the largest, with multiple essential uses beyond power.
He added: “Africa’s development will require significant improvements in access to energy. This will result in lower costs and more reliable energy, will drive job creation, prosperity, social development, and achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
Speaking on Seplat Energy’s business, Mackenzie said twin ambitions guide the company’s operations and its relationships with stakeholders and the natural world, adding that: “Firstly, Seplat Energy builds a sustainable business by driving social development, focusing on environmental care and reporting, and maximising returns for all stakeholders. Also, the Company is delivering energy transition via its upstream, midstream gas and power/new energy businesses.”
He stressed that natural gas is Africa’s logical transition fuel whilst advising a drift towards energy access, which is the reality of a continent where 600 million people lack access to reliable and affordable energy.
According to him, natural gas is essential beyond power in many applications such as fertiliser, cement, glass and steel, all of which will be required in billions of tonnes to build and support a modern Africa.
