PRESIDENT TINUBU COMMISSIONS WAGL’S 40,000 CBM LPG VESSEL IN SOUTH KOREA.
…APPLAUDS PARTNERS FOR EXPANDING AFRICA’S ROLE IN GLOBAL CLEAN ENERG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to delivering clean and sustainable energy solutions across Africa and beyond.
The President made this known during the commissioning of a 40,000 cubic meters (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), in Ulsan, South Korea.
The vessel, owned by WAGL Energy Limited a joint venture between NNPC Limited and Sahara Group is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier. With this addition, WAGL’s fleet now boasts a total capacity of 162,000 CBM, which includes MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, President Tinubu commended WAGL Energy Limited, NNPC Limited, and Sahara Group for their strategic vision, technical excellence, and unwavering dedication to strengthening Africa’s presence in the global clean energy value chain.
Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari — represented by the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye described the vessel as a milestone in Nigeria’s gas development drive. He emphasized that it will play a critical role in deepening LPG affordability, availability, and access nationwide.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous company. In addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos), WAGL has delivered over 6 million metric tonnes of LPG across West Africa in the last five years through its growing fleet,” Ojulari noted.
Also speaking, WAGL’s Chairman/Executive Director at Sahara Group, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, highlighted the company’s commitment to bridging Africa’s energy infrastructure gap.
“The commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) reflects our vision of responsibly driving access to energy across the continent. This vessel also honours the legacy of the iconic Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose spirit of progress and empowerment continues to inspire us,” he said.
WAGL’s Managing Director, Mohammed Sani Bello, disclosed that the company is already working on further fleet expansion, including the addition of a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) within the next two years.
The symbolic ribbon-cutting of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) — named after the late mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, MFR — was performed by her granddaughter, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo.
