Why NLNG is funding The Nigeria Prize for Science – General Manager, External Relations

Remarks by Mrs Eyono Fatai-William, General Manager, External Relations, Nigeria LNG Limited, at the Business Interactive Workshop between Members of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and the winner of the 2018 The Nigeria Prize for Science, on Wednesday July 17, 2019, in Lagos

Protocols

• I feel privileged to speak to this eminent industry group about Nigeria LNG’s commitment to the advancement of this country, and I believe that everyone in this auditorium has similar sense of commitment as well, because, in the long run, growing our businesses translate into growing our economy as a nation.
• In our capacity as the foremost natural gas exporter in the country, helping to power industrialised nations of the world, Nigeria LNG has a vision of being a global LNG company, helping to build a better Nigeria.
• We have been driving that vision through our numerous CSR initiatives across the country and especially in our host community, Bonny Island where we provide over 95% stable electric power supply for over a decade now.
• It will be a great achievement if such achievements can be replicated across the country as we believe the country has the resources, but need the industrial will-power by the private sector to make it happen, even if it happens gradually, but steadily.
• Most of us here may be conversant with the long history of powering from the era of coal to the era of crude product, to hydro-power and most recently, natural gas.
• The gradual transition to cleaner and more reliable energy source has been slow albeit arduous. This is a challenge that all including those of us in the private sector must continue to find ways to independently or collaboratively help the public sector to resolve.
• Very early in our operations at Nigeria LNG, we initiated well thought out intervention programmes that focus on actualising our aspiration of helping to build a better Nigeria, and the Nigeria Prize for Science is one of those initiatives.
• We are here today because the outcomes from that annual competition are increasingly shedding light on how we can possibly help to solve some of the nation’s problems which include electricity shortage.
• In recognition of the need to encourage more work in finding solution to electric power generation in the country, Nigeria LNG using the platform of the science prize competition, last year, encouraged research works on the theme – Innovations in Electric Power Solutions.
• The beautiful result that emerged from that competition is the reason we are here today; to publicise the work among industry players and to inspire interest in harnessing the work for further breakthrough.
• On October, 2018, Dr. Peter Ngene was declared winner of the 2018 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Science for his entry, “Nanostructured metal hydrides for the storage of electric power from renewable energy sources and for explosion prevention in high voltage power transformers”.
• This work stands out for two reasons; first, it deals with electric power generation from renewable energy, which is where the rest of the world is gravitating to. Undoubtedly, Nigeria is richly endowed with the renewables, from sunlight to wind, hydro and even fossils.
• The second distinction is that the work deals with conservation of electric power, better still storage device. That is another important factor even with the current scenario in our country.
• Our interest is not just in motivating applicable solutions to our society’s problems, but also in promoting public interest in the winning work, to use them to find solution to the nation’s challenges.
• It is for this reason that Nigeria LNG is delighted at the possible synergy that can evolve from today’s interaction. We believe that this is consistent with the pliant approach that we need to progress the needed advancement.
• Nigeria LNG is here to attract the interest of members of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) who are specialised in the power and energy section and to leverage on the reach and diligence of the Institute to attract other interested groups in the business community, to a business interaction/workshop with Dr. Ngene to explore further research or actual trigger investment into actual application of the work.
• We chose the LCCI as a viable partner because being the oldest chamber of commerce in the country it has on its register, established business enterprises and interests which could benefit from the Interaction.
• Recall that last year, we had a similar engagement to promote the Innovations in Malaria Control. That was the theme for the 2017 edition of the science prize, which produced 3 outstanding works. That was another effort by Nigeria LNG to support the Federal Government’s efforts to engender a malaria free society.
• We consider engagements like this as unique platforms that can inspire new business opportunities that can improve our society and our economy. That of course aligns with our vision of helping to build a better Nigeria; together, we can achieve it faster.
• Finally, I would love to observe that a renewed focus on electric power generation and conservation is definitely one area which can offer huge business opportunities in the country.
• It will be instructive for the industry to focus more attention on the renewable sources of energy to improve the situation and promote better energy output for the country, while also aligning with the global clamour cleaner energy sources, as the world combats global warming.
• Thank you.