Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has deepened it Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as it has commissioned a completed an ultra modern Engineering Laboratory at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The delivery and furnishing gulped $2 million and the building was named after the partnership; NLNG/UNN Engineering Laboratory which came under the University Support Programme (USP).
NLNG’s USP was launched in 2014 to help develop engineering education capacity in the country.
The centre is the fifth of six world class science/engineering laboratories donated by the company. NLNG has so far commissioned the Ahmadu Bello University Multi-user Engineering Laboratory, University of Ibadan Engineering Complex, NLNG Centre for Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Engineering at University of Port Harcourt, and the NLNG Engineering Research Centre at the University of Ilorin under its USP scheme. The sixth and last project at the University of Maiduguri is completed and ready for commissioning.
The Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; commended NLNG for the support and called on the school authryt to make good use of the complex.
Other dignitaries at the commissioning include the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, represented by Dr C.N. Agulana; NLNG management; members of the University Council led by Professor Benjamin Ozumba, UNN Vice Chancellor; Chairman and representative of the State Council of Chiefs and other dignitaries.
Earlier in his keynote address, Tony Attah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, who was represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Sadeeq Mai-Bornu, said “At Nigeria LNG, driven by the need to take decisive action, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the University Support Programme (USP) in 2013, to provide structured support to the development of ‘Research and Scholarship’ in the country by investing $12 million in 6 universities across Nigeria i.e. one in each geopolitical zone.
“The project strategic vision in addition to supporting teaching and research aspires to help produce and unleash the next generation of Nigerian engineers who themselves are crucial to the future development of Nigeria. This vision and NLNG’s belief in Nigeria is reflected in the fact that we run a successful world class global company from Nigeria, operated and headed by a workforce that is 95% indigenous and a senior management team which is entirely Nigerian.
“We are pleased to report that we have completed all the projects and commissioned four, with today marking the fifth and semi-final event. Significantly also, we learnt that UNN currently has nearly 100 research groups and projects operational within the university community across faculties, departments and focus groups. This suggests that the USP facilities here have been delivered to what one might call a natural home.
A statement issued by General Manager (External Relations), Dr Kudo Eresia-Eke explained that NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC (49%), Shell Gas BV, SGBV, (25.6%), Total LNG Nigeria Limited (15%), and Eni International (N.A,) N. V. S. a. r. l (10.4%).
