. Harps on sustainable future for Africa
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Sahara Energy has unveiled its target of achieving zero carbon emissions from its oil, gas operations by 2060.
The company, alongside its sister companies in the energy value chain have also commenced arrangements to reduce carbon emissions and earn carbon credit for a sustainable future.
This agenda was disclosed at a forum with journalists tagged: “Carbon Footprint And The African Narrative” held by Sahara Group and the Asharami Square in Lagos on Monday.
The Group Project Manager, Asharami Energy, Wole Ajeigbe, who spoke on “Decarbonization of Africa’s Upstream Operations”, said Sahara Energy is building a sustainable energy future with an ambitious but pragmatic approach to its upstream carbon net zero journey.
According to him, efforts are ongoing at its seven oil producing assets across Nigeria, to ensure that operations at the sites are considerate of global warming.
Ajeigbe said the net zero plan would be achieved gradually by reducing and minimizing carbon emissions on a yearly basis.
Already, he said the company has some gas commercialisation projects which are expected to be completed by 2025-2026.
He listed the strategies to include; elimination of gas flare across its upstream operations; reduction in freshwater usage during operation; and making use of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) among others.
Emphasiaing its determination, he said the company has already joined the global group of CCUS, emerging as the first African company in the forum.
Noting that the energy demand and usage in Africa will increase significantly in coming years, Ajeigbe said, to ensure oil and gas continue to be used to meet Africa’s energy demands, the sector needs to decarbonise its operations quickly.
He stressed the need for the government to create an enabling environment that would stimulate investments and grant fiscal incentives on gas projects such as tax holidays, funding recurities, risk mitigation among others.
The government and stakeholders, according to him, also need to encourage availability of capital pools; improve bankability of gas projects; give support to projects that have taken decarbonization seriously; and attract skills and develop the capabilities needed for the energy future.
Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation, Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, said although Africa is contributing a little (about 4%) to global warming, the continent has been severely affected by the phenomenon.
She said the fact that Africa holds up to 17% of the global population, yet contributes just 4% to global carbon emissions, means that the continent could do more for a sustainable environment through careful and strategic planning.
Aniagolu-Okoye said Africa must focus not only on challenges, but also on opportunities that global warming presents.
“There are numerous opportunities to place Africa firmly at the forefront of climate debate and the media should lead the campaign,” she said.
Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Ejiro Gray, said the most viable solutions for mitigating carbon emissions and meeting Africa’s development include: natural gas development; increase in use of renewables; protection and rehabilitation of African natural carbon sinks; innovation in low cost/low emissions clean energy solutions; carbon culture storage/ carbon capture and re-utilisation and utilisation of domestic knowledge.
She said Sahara has continued to make improvements to their operations in order to reduce their carbon footprint and by extension, the continent footprint.
Gray listed some of the strategies to include; increase use of renewables; gas commercialisation; research and development; sustainable energy and carbon sinks; Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS); tree planting initiatives; and awareness campaigns for youths, among others.
Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, Bethel Obioma, said the Asharami Square has come to stay and would be having training and mentorship for journalists.
Obioma said it would also be having Asharami Awards to appreciate those works that have contributed to building sustainability in Africa.
He said the body is already in partnership with University of Lagos and Pan Atlantic University in the quest to upscale skill on sustainability.
