PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a new 40,000 cubic metres (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owned by WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between NNPC Limited and Sahara Group.
The commissioning took place yesterday in Ulsan, South Korea.
The dual-fuel, fully refrigerated vessel expands WAGL’s total LPG fleet capacity to 162,000 CBM, joining existing carriers such as MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
Represented at the ceremony by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, President Tinubu lauded NNPC Limited and Sahara Group for their vision and commitment to strengthening Africa’s presence in the global clean energy market.
He emphasized Nigeria’s determination to deliver sustainable energy solutions both domestically and across the continent.
Sahara Group spokesperson Bethel Obioma noted that the commissioning highlights the company’s continued investment in LPG infrastructure to improve energy access, affordability, and security across Africa.
Speaking at the event, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bashir Ojulari—represented by EVP Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye—described the vessel as a strategic asset for Nigeria’s gas development programme.
He added that NNPC is committed to deepening LPG availability and affordability nationwide, noting that WAGL has delivered over six million metric tonnes of LPG across West Africa in the last five years.
WAGL Chairman and Sahara Group Executive Director, Temitope Shonubi, said the vessel embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment, honouring the legacy of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the late mother of President Tinubu.
The ribbon-cutting was performed by her granddaughter, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Tinubu-Ojo.
WAGL’s Managing Director, Mohammed Sani Bello, added that the company plans to expand its fleet within the next two years with the introduction of a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), reinforcing its role in bridging Africa’s critical energy infrastructure gap.