Khadijah Shehu Abdulkareem
ULSAN, South Korea — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned a new 40,000 cubic metre (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, named MT Iyaloja (Lagos), as part of efforts to boost gas availability and affordability in Nigeria and across Africa.
The vessel, owned by WAGL Energy Limited — a joint venture between NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group — is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier. With this addition, WAGL’s total fleet capacity now stands at 162,000 CBM, which also includes vessels such as MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, Tinubu praised NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group for their commitment to expanding Africa’s clean energy footprint. He noted that Nigeria is determined to deliver affordable, sustainable, and clean energy solutions both locally and internationally.
NNPC’s Group CEO, Mr. Bashir Ojulari, described the vessel as a vital step in Nigeria’s gas development efforts. He said the new carrier will play a key role in ensuring LPG is more affordable and accessible nationwide. WAGL has already delivered more than six million metric tonnes of LPG across West Africa in the past five years.
WAGL’s Chairman, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, said the vessel represents progress and empowerment, and was named in honour of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, Tinubu’s late mother and former Iyaloja-General of Nigeria. The ribbon-cutting was performed by her granddaughter, Alhaja Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the current Iyaloja-General of Nigeria. WAGL also announced plans to further expand its fleet within two years, including adding a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC).