By Franklin Alli
Gaslink Nigeria Limited, has projected to connect 2,000 industries in Lagos to its gas grid in the next two years (2013).
The Managing Director, Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya, disclosed this in a speech delivered during the company’s Customers’ Dinner and Award ceremony in Lagos.

According to him, the company currently has more than 100 industrial consumers in Lagos, stressing: “And we are striving to expand our grid to reach new consumers. We are relentless in our efforts to making natural gas available to two thousand (2,000) industrial consumers by 2013.”

He believes that the set target would be met , stressing, “We are currently carrying out feasibility on the next phase of expansion of our natural gas pipeline network in Lagos termed Greater Lagos 4 that will take gas to industries located at Orile, Okokomaiko and Lagos Island.

“We are also at an advanced stage in the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from our grid that will guarantee access to the benefits of natural gas for small scale and stranded consumers beyond our pipeline coverage.

“This will assure our current gas consumers who have other operations located outside our grid, of unhindered access to the gas advantage through this initiative. We expect to begin the delivery of CNG to our first customer in November 2011.

In pursuit of our aspiration to build the largest gas grid in sub-Saharan Africa, we are currently seeking more franchises in other parts of the country. East Horizon Gas Company (EHGC) our special purpose vehicle executing franchise in Akwa Ibom and Cross River state is expected to complete an inter-state 128 km gas pipeline project in the first quarter of 2011.

On completion, the infrastructure will deliver gas to United Cement Company (UNICEM) in Calabar as well as other consumers in the Cross River/Akwa Ibom industrial cluster.

We have also recently received approval from the River States Government to develop and expand existing gas infrastructure in the Greater Port Harcourt Area, and other parts of the state.

“We have invested more than $100 million to date in the expansion of our natural gas network and to optimize the efficiency and safety of our grid. We have been encouraged by the steadily increasing demand from industries as they continue to switch to natural gas as the preferred energy source.  Indeed in 2010 our customer base hit the One hundred (100) mark, since then, we have connected many more as industries continue to appreciate the gas advantage.”

“In the near future we expect to have achieved an expansion to all the six geo-political regions of the country spreading the gas advantage in safe and efficient manner.”