MEMAN Signs Pact with US Grain Council to Explore Biofuel as NNPC Seek Establishment of Ethanol Plant

……….by Ben Ndubuwa………

Excited to forge new partnerships last week, Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) and the US Grains Council (UGC) signed an MOU to collaborate in exploring, and developing biofuel such as Ethanol as a means of sustainable innovation to expand the Association’s spectrum of energy offerings in the downstream space and the nation’s energy mix.

This pact was consummated at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja, paving the way for sustainable collaboration in the pursuit of net-zero energy transition. The pact has campaign tag of #MEMANxUSGrains #Biofuels #Ethanol #MEMANEvolution #BetterTogethe

Meanwhile the  UGC also agreed to partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited on ethanol production.

NNPC announced the intending partnership on Wednesday, after the UGC visited the company.

Mele Kyari, the company’s Group Chief Executive officer (GCEO), met with members of the UGC, led by Ryan LeGrand, the organisation’s CEO.

“During the visit, both parties explored areas of collaboration towards growing Nigeria’s ethanol production in line with sustainability principles,” NNPC said.

Ethanol is an alternative fuel most commonly made from corn, as well as from cellulosic feedstock, such as crop residues and wood.

Last week Wednesday, NNPC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Niger state government for the establishment of a 500 million litres ethanol plant with associated cultivation of maize, sugarcane, and sweet sorghum on 100,000 hectares of land in the state.

This, the state government said, would lead to the production of over 500,000 tons of crops to fuel the ethanol plant.

Part of the MOU also involves NNPC committing to plant 135 million trees on 100,000 hectares of land as part of its 2030 net zero targets and climate protection efforts.

In November 2022, Kebbi state government said it signed an MOU with NNPC for a $100 million ethanol production in the state.

The partnership includes Kebbi state providing sugarcane and cassava needed as raw materials for ethanol production.