STAKEHOLDERS in the gas sub-sector have disagreed with the Federal Government over the pre-qualification of 13 investors to accelerate the development of gas production facilities in the country contrary to prequalification of 15 companies as core investors in Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan.

FOLLOWING the furore that has trailed the sales of three of its onshore oilfields and the subsequent rumour making the rounds that it is probably wounding up its operations in Nigeria, the Shell Petroleum Development Company has reaffirmed its commitment to the country noting that it disposed the said assets in order to support local participation in the oil and gas industry.

The Director General of the Debt Management Office has said that Nigeria plans to sell N867.5bn ($5.74bn) worth of bonds, about a fifth of planned expenditure this year, to fund the budget deficit.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Lamido Sanusi, has said that the apex bank will avoid any “shotgun” sale of rescued lenders and may take the rest of the year to complete deals with prospective international buyers.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to stop gas flaring at the nation’s 187 oil flow stations through the vehicle of the accelerated Gas Development Projects.