Nigerian liquid natural gas and petroleum products transport, trade and marketing company WAGL Energy has taken into service its latest ship, the MT Iyaloja (Lagos). The ceremony was held in Ulsan, South Korea, where the ship was built by Hyundai. WAGL Energy was a joint venture between the Nigerian private-sector energy and infrastructure-focused Sahara Group and the State-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). 

The MT Iyaloja (Lagos) was a 40 000 m3 capacity dual-fuel liquefied petrol gas (LPG) tanker and increased the company’s fleet to five such vessels, with a total capacity of 162 000 m3. The significance of the event was highlighted by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who, although not present at the ceremony in Ulsan, issued a statement praising both Sahara and the NNPC for taking a “strategic step” and strengthening the country’s involvement in the global market for clean energy. The ship was named in honour of his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, who had held the title of Iyaloja (a female chieftain in Yoruba culture).

“The addition of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment championed by the iconic Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose legacy we honour,” affirmed Sahara Group Executive Director and WAGL Energy Chairperson Temitope Shonubi. “Sahara Group is proud of its partnership with NNPC Ltd and reaffirms its commitment to partnerships that drive energy access in Africa.”

“NNPC Ltd is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous company which in addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owns four other LPG vessels in its growing fleet, delivering over 6-million [metric tons] of LPG across West Africa over the last five years,” emphasised NNPC GCEO Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari, in a statement read on his behalf at the ceremony.

The other four LPG ships currently in the WAGL Energy fleet were the MT Africa Gas, the MT Sahara Gas, the MT BaruMK, and the MT Sapet. “WAGL already has plans to further expand the fleet with the next two years with the addition of a small gas carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC),” reported WAGL Energy MD Mohammed Sani Bello.