Jerry Chukwuekwe, the chief technical adviser to Hope Uzodinma, the incumbent governor of Imo state, claimed in a recent interview that the state hosts the largest gas reserves in West Africa. He made this known while speaking on the governor’s bid for re-election in the upcoming gubernatorial election scheduled for November 11, 2023.
While discussing the candidacy of Uzodinma on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the scorecard of his administration as the governor of the state, Chukwueke said, “By the way, Imo state has the largest gas reserves in West Africa in Assa, and that’s coming to play for Imo economic opportunity.”
Claim: Imo state has the largest gas reserves in West Africa.
Verification
In August 2023, a report by Statista indicated that Nigeria boasts the largest natural gas reserves in Africa, estimated at about 200 trillion cubic feet, which accounts for about three percent of the global reserves. This was also stated in a report by The Punch, wherein the federal government disclosed that the country holds 33% of Africa’s gas reserves.
Similarly, Gbenga Komolafe, the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), reportedly revealed that the country’s gas reserves ranked first in Africa with a life index of 94 years.
In April 2021, the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, disclosed during a national gas expansion programme in Owerri that Imo state houses a substantial quantity of gas, amounting to over 200 trillion cubic feet with an additional potential of 600 TCF.
Also in December 2021, Sylva, while addressing the 23rd World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, U.S., stated that the country’s gas reserves stood at 206 trillion cubic feet. He reiterated at the event that the Nigerian government was committed to growing the reserves to 600 trillion cubic feet.
Verdict: TRUE
The CDD War Room found multiple credible media reports affirming Nigeria’s status as having the largest gas reserves in Africa. According to the former minister of state for petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, Imo State houses a substantial quantity of the country’s gas with over 200 trillion cubic feet.
Featured image: Arise News
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