Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
A clean-energy company, Energy Ventures B.V., has secured the federal government’s support to convert gas currently being flared in the Niger Delta into electricity for about 80,000 homes and business units across the region. The company disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a briefing attended by its Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Okibe; Chief Financial Officer, Govert Rietema; and Chief Commercial Officer, Yvonne Te Wierik-Chioke.
In a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Okibe said the company had engaged officials of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and Ministry of Power, with both institutions expressing support for the proposed project.
He said the initiative, which already had a pilot project in the Agbada oil field in Rivers State, could provide electricity to about 80,000 connections, potentially benefiting roughly 500,000 people.
According to him, the project would also help address the environmental effect of more than six decades of gas flaring in the Niger Delta by converting wasted gas into electricity.
Okibe said, “The project will utilise modularised ‘FlareOut’ units designed by FB Group in the Netherlands. These units will be digitally connected to allow Original Equipment Manufacturers to perform remote diagnostics and root cause analysis on gas engines.”
He added that the company planned to deploy smart meters designed to prevent tampering while providing customers with transparent electricity consumption data through a mobile application.
Okibe said despite the history of insecurity in parts of the Niger Delta, the project had recorded strong community cooperation following extensive customer enumeration and engagements with traditional rulers, youths, and local electricity committees.
He said security arrangements would include high-quality fencing and armed security, with support from state authorities to protect the equipment.
The CEO also said recent regulatory reforms had created opportunities for states to participate more actively in electricity generation and regulation, opening the door for partnerships and franchise arrangements.
Wierik-Chioke said reliable electricity was essential to economic growth and improved living standards, while stressing the environmental benefits of reducing gas flaring.
She said, “Once you are able to have access to clean, reliable energy, it means that you can build and grow your business. You can plan better by simply having access to electricity. But we also understand that it will take time to fully achieve results.”
She also stated that successful implementation of the project could serve as a model for deploying similar solutions at more than 100 flare sites across Nigeria.
“Beyond direct energy supply, the project seeks to reduce pollution caused by decades of gas flaring in the Niger Delta,” she added.
Okibe acknowledged that the initiative would not resolve Nigeria’s overall power deficit but said it could significantly improve electricity access for local businesses, schools and hospitals.
He said engagements with government agencies had also produced useful recommendations, including possible collaboration with the Presidential Metering Initiative and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
“They gave some very good suggestions, and also asked us how they could be of support,” Okibe said.
He added that supplying electricity to communities in the Niger Delta would also ease pressure on the national power system.
“Directly, we’re looking at 100,000 homes. Indirectly, I think all Nigerians will benefit,” he said.