Nigeria Expands Clean Energy Logistics with New LPG Carrier

19th August 2025

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the new 40,000 CBM Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier built for West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL)—a joint venture between NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group.

The commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) marks more than fleet expansion; it underscores Nigeria’s growing role in regional energy flows, particularly as LPG emerges as a cleaner transition fuel across Africa.

Speaking on behalf of the President, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, praised WAGL and its partners for their strategic foresight in bridging critical energy infrastructure gaps.

From a commodities and logistics perspective, the carrier strengthens supply chains from refinery output to end-user delivery, enhancing affordability, reliability, and regional distribution. With WAGL’s fleet capacity now exceeding 162,000 CBM, plans to add both a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) will further integrate Nigeria into global commodity flows.

The ship’s name, Iyaloja (“Leader of the Market” in Yoruba), honours Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji MFR, the late mother of President Tinubu, with the commissioning ceremony featuring a ribbon cutting by the current Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo.

In commodities terms, this story is about more than ships—it highlights energy logistics as the backbone of refinery output, cross-border trade, and Africa’s integration into global clean energy markets.