Nigeria to pioneer methanol economy in Africa

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu has disclosed that Nigeria is currently working to pioneer methanol driven economy in Africa.

In doing that, the Minister, said, the Federal government was putting methanol policy together to actualise the methanol economy that would eventually end gas flaring in Nigeria.

Dr Onu gave the revelation on Friday in his address at the ministerial World Press Conference on the name change from the Federal Ministry of Science and Technogy (FMST) to the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI) at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said the FMSTI has been working on the policy to domesticate the technology behind ethanol policy before actualising methanol economy to avoid being beclouded with foreigners.

“The methanol economy is a major economy for Nigeria and Nigeria will be the first country in Africa to do so. It has very important benefit to all aspects of the economy. First is the environment.

“We are so lucky our gas resources from Nigeria is even more than the crude oil resources that we have and we flair this gas and I tell people it is like you take money from your pocket and you pour kerosene and you light and burn that money. That is what gas flaring is.”

The Minister further maintained that Nigeria’s huge gas resources was a major advantage in the push for methanol economy, saying that other countries don’t flair their gas the way Nigeria does.

‘Other countries use their gas, and this natural gas is what is used for the production of methanol, Methanol has application in over 1000 products.”