Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has commissioned a 40,000 cubic meters (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owned by WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group, in Ulsan, South Korea.
The newly commissioned vessel is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier that brings WAGL’s total LPG vessel capacity to 162,000 CBM. This addition is part of WAGL’s growing fleet, which includes MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
President Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended WAGL Energy Limited, NNPC Limited, and Sahara Group for their strategic foresight, technical excellence, and dedication to expanding Africa’s role in the global clean energy value chain. He emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to delivering clean and sustainable energy solutions not only within the country but also across Africa and beyond.
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Engr Bashir Ojulari, represented by the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, noted that WAGL’s LPG vessel is a significant addition to Nigeria’s gas development program. He stated that the vessel will play a crucial role in realizing the impact of gas on Nigeria’s economic development.
NNPC Ltd. is deepening its commitment to ensuring LPG affordability, availability, and access nationwide. The company is proud to be a major shareholder in WAGL Energy Limited, which has delivered over 6 million MT of LPG across West Africa in the last five years.
WAGL’s Chairman and Executive Director, Sahara Group, Temitope Shonubi, stated that the company’s expansion demonstrates its vision of responsibly driving efforts to bridge the continent’s critical energy infrastructure gap. The addition of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment championed by the iconic Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose legacy is being honored.
WAGL’s Managing Director, Mohammed Sani Bello, stressed that the company is dedicated to expanding its integrated supply network across the entire energy value chain. He announced plans to further expand the fleet within the next two years with the addition of a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC).
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for MT Iyaloja (Lagos) was performed by Alhaja Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and granddaughter of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, in honor of whom the vessel was named.
The commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) underscores Sahara Group’s commitment to transforming Africa’s energy landscape through investments in LPG storage and distribution infrastructure, tackling energy access, affordability, and security in Africa. This development aligns with Nigeria’s vision to deliver clean and sustainable energy solutions across the continent and beyond.
