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Nigeria: Country's First Bio-Fuel Refinery to Create 406,000 Jobs
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This Day (Lagos)
24 March 2008
Posted to the web 24 March 2008
Udeme Clement-Ogbuanu
Lagos
Nigeria's first Bio-fuel Refinery , Global Biofuels Limited, a subsidiary of NeGSt Global Integrated Company Limited, has concluded plans to create 406,000 jobs for Nigerians.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Global Biofuels Limited, Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY in Lagos, saying that seven states including Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna, Ekiti and Oyo will benefit from the project.
According to Obada , 58,000 jobs would be created in each participating state of the federation, adding that the project would gulp $560million to set up seven plants in the participating states, with each plant costing about $80million to complete.
Obada explained that in 2006, Europe traded 26.75bilion euros of Carbon Credit, and European sector is just 45 per cent of the entire sector, emphasising that if bio-fuel is not developed in Nigeria, the country would not benefit from the scheme.
"Smart banks in Nigeria are already setting up carbon credit desk to work with us in benefiting from the international trade package because this sector is to serve humanity and reduce carbon footprint in Nigeria," he said.
The Global Bio-fuels boss maintained that the biofuel industry is becoming a reality and developed economies such as United States of America and Europe are already stepping up their target usage of bio-fuels to significant levels.
He said Nigeria must not be left out, adding "As I speak now, the target of USA is to produce 130billion litres of ethanol by 2025, because the European Union has set guidelines that 10 per cent of total motor fuel consumption by 2020 must be biofuels and many countries now have active policies in place to develop their domestic biofuel production."
He stated that the project would make Nigeria a responsible member of the Committee of Nations, saying a project like this would directly reduce the burden of fuel importation as, according to him, the outputs of the country's ethanol refineries would be used for blending fossil fuel, thus enhancing the standard of living of Nigerians.
THISDAY investigations reveal that in 2005, statistics showed that Nigeria consumed about 30million litres of fuel per day, indicating an urgent need to blend about three million litres of ethanol with 30 million of fossil fuel on a daily basis .
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Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has already endorsed the biofuel project, indicating willingness to partner with investors who are ready to go into the production since Nigeria has not produced ethanol yet.
All things being equal, it is praiseworthy for a compny to actually generate 406,000 jobs in the country. Considering the high estimate on the number of jobs to be created one wonders if these jobs will be permanent or part-time and also what will be the total capacity of such a refinery. It is, however, very necessary to assure Nigerians and the Nigerian government that the operation of this refinery WILL NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT ON THE FOOD SUPPLY IN THE COUNTRY IN ANY WAY!
What excellent timing! Just as you are beginning to pull out your Typha infestation by the roots, you are building the machinery to process it. If you manage your Typha, rather than just eradicate it, you can make it a sustainable source of both fuel and food for your future. This terrible nuisance can become a wonderful asset to your biofuels industry.
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