Facility Aims to Enhance Safety and Reduce Losses in the Oil and Gas Industry
The federal government of Nigeria officially inaugurated the country’s first home-grown gas leak detection device manufacturing plant on Thursday. The facility, established by Amal Technology, is expected to contribute to reducing the loss of lives and property in the oil and gas industry. Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State, Petroleum (Oil), highlighted the significance of the event, considering it a breakthrough in local manufacturing of electronic circuitry and devices.
The innovation received support from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), under the leadership of Mr. Simbi Wabote. The facility incorporates Internet of Things (IoT) technology into its operations.
The gas leak detection device has the capability to generate Short Message System (SMS) and phone call alerts to homeowners in the event of a fuel leak. Additionally, it possesses the capacity for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing.
Lokpobiri emphasized that improving Nigeria’s road infrastructure is crucial for economic activities, including the transportation of petroleum products, agricultural produce, and trade. He expressed confidence that the palliatives approved by the president, totaling over N260 billion, would bring about a significant transformation in the country’s road network within the next two years.
The initiative aligns with the federal government’s commitment to deepen gas penetration and gas-based industrialization. The gas leak detection device is seen as a vital safety tool to accelerate the adoption of gas as a preferred source of energy for homes, transportation, and industry.
Omatsola Ogbe, the new Executive Secretary of NCDMB, highlighted that the facility emerged from a proposal submitted to the board in 2018. The device aims to address the recurring issue of gas leaks and explosions, leading to human casualties, property damage, and environmental pollution.
The manufacturing plant is expected to generate employment opportunities, contribute to the replacement of imported PCBs with locally produced ones, and serve as a platform for instrumentation and electronics-related research and development.
Tijjani Abdullahi, the Chief Executive of Amal Technologies Limited, commended the NCDMB for its support, noting that the facility has the capacity to produce over 2 million Advanced Smart Electric Meters, aligning with the federal government’s National Mass Metering program.
Government officials, including the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, and the Minister of State, Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, were present at the event