By Emmanuel Daudu
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting critical national assets, including Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) operations and key energy infrastructure, as concerns over threats to the nation’s economic value chain continue to mount.
The assurance was given by the Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa Gwabin (Rtd) OFR, during a courtesy visit by the executive leadership of NLNG to the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
The high-level engagement centred on strengthening security collaboration to safeguard vital energy infrastructure, ensure national economic stability and support NLNG’s ongoing capacity expansion projects.
General Christopher Musa (rtd) stressed that “Nigeria needs gas” and described collaboration between stakeholders as the most effective approach to addressing operational bottlenecks affecting the sector.
The Defence Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government had established a dedicated Maritime Task Force operating within the Gulf of Guinea to tackle insecurity in the maritime domain and protect strategic assets.
He further revealed that amid a global slowdown in international arms procurement, Nigeria was increasingly looking inward by developing local defence production capacity as a sustainable long-term solution.
Reaffirming the Armed Forces’ readiness to support NLNG operations, General Musa stated: “I assure you that we are together, and we are going to give you all the support that you need.”
Earlier, the NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Leye Falade, commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their continued role in protecting critical national infrastructure essential to economic growth.
Falade noted that disruptions to upstream operations directly impact national output, particularly as NLNG remains a joint venture with majority government ownership.
He also highlighted the growing domestic demand for cleaner energy alternatives, stressing that the company was working to address challenges linked to lack of clean cooking solutions across the country.
“The military has significantly stepped up to help us continue serving the nation. As one of Nigeria’s highest tax-paying organizations, we want to do even more for the economy. We are currently expanding our capacity by 35 percent through our Train 7 project, and safeguarding these operations is paramount to balancing the expectations of our shareholders with our national mandate,” Falade stated.
He particularly praised the Nigerian Navy for its role in ensuring maritime safety and security, describing the Armed Forces as indispensable to protecting Nigeria’s economic value chain.
The meeting ended with both parties agreeing to deepen operational synergy to ensure that NLNG’s expansion projects and ongoing operations remain secure and resilient in driving Nigeria’s future economic growth.
The statement was signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, SA (Media to the Honourable Minister).
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