Nigeria’s push to deepen access to cooking gas received a major boost on Monday as WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and Sahara Group, expanded its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) fleet capacity to 162,000 cubic meters.
The milestone followed the commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos), a 40,000 CBM dual-fuel LPG vessel unveiled at a ceremony in Ulsan, South Korea. With this addition, WAGL’s fleet now comprises five LPG carriers, including MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK and MT Sapet.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the development as proof of Nigeria’s commitment to clean and sustainable energy solutions, both locally and across Africa.
He commended NNPC, Sahara Group and WAGL for their “strategic foresight, technical excellence and unwavering dedication to expanding Africa’s role in the global clean energy value-chain.”
Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer of NNPC, said the expansion was vital to the country’s gas-driven economic agenda.
“NNPC is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous Company which in addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owns four (4) other LPG vessels in its growing fleet, delivering over 6 million MT of LPG across West Africa over the last 5 years,” he said through Olalekan Ogunleye, executive vice president, gas, power and new energy.
Temitope Shonubi, WAGL’s chairman and Sahara Group executive director, said the expansion demonstrates the company’s long-term vision of bridging Africa’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 we honour. Sahara Group is proud of its partnership with NNPC Ltd. and reaffirms its commitment to partnerships that drive energy access in Africa,” he said.
Managing director of WAGL, Mohammed Sani Bello, added that the company is already planning further expansion, including a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) in the next two years.
The vessel was named in honour of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the late mother of President Tinubu. The ribbon-cutting was performed by her granddaughter, Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo.
Earlier confirmation of fleet growth
Earlier on Monday, NNPC announced via its official X handle that WAGL Energy’s fleet capacity had surpassed 160,000 CBM, noting that the expansion reinforces WAGL’s position as one of Africa’s leading LPG suppliers.
“WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Sahara Group, now boasts a robust fleet exceeding 160,000 cubic meters. WAGL Energy Limited is driving Africa’s access to reliable and clean energy through sustainable LPG supply, extending its impact across the continent and beyond,” NNPC said.
Implications for Nigeria’s cooking gas market
In 2024, Nigeria’s LPG consumption reached approximately 1.8 million metric tonnes, but the country still relies heavily on imports to bridge supply gaps. Limited storage, distribution infrastructure, and foreign exchange shortages have kept prices volatile, with cooking gas costs rising by over 40 percent in the past year.
WAGL’s expanded fleet could help reduce logistics bottlenecks, improve supply reliability, and potentially ease costs for households and businesses.
The vessels are expected to increase deliveries not only within Nigeria but also across West Africa, enhancing regional energy security.
About DooweGas
DooweGas (Doowe Investment Limited) is Nigeria’s leading LPG retail company, committed to bringing innovation, safety, and efficiency to energy solutions nationwide.
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Source: businessday.ng
