As LPG cylinders begin to roll out from the Techno Oil manufacturing plant in Lagos, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the group, Mrs Nkechi Obi, has attributed the feat to the local content policy of the Federal Government.

Leading newsmen on a tour of the facility on Sunday, Obi described the local content policy as the compelling reason that forced Techno Oil to embark on building the plant to manufacture cylinders.

“We decided to contribute our quota to engender the local content policy by building a plant to manufacture LPG cylinders locally to promote the value-chain.

“We have a strong desire to promote LPG adoption in Nigeria. Manufacturing cylinders locally goes a long way in boosting LPG consumption,’’ she said.

According to her, latest market reports show that the TechnoGas cylinder brand remains buyers’ preference because the quality of the cylinders meets global standards and the product is better than the imported variety.

“The reason is not unconnected with the high quality of TechnoGas, due to our persistent consideration for safety and durability in the manufacturing process.’’
Obi re-stated that the plant would be deploying no fewer than five million cylinders into the market annually, noting that Techno Oil would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Nigerians embraced LPG.

“The quantity we produce can meet and exceed the demands of Nigeria and West African markets, so we do not see the need for anybody to import cylinders into Nigeria again.”

She expressed her excitement that the TechnoGas cylinder brand had received necessary certifications by regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

Asked how her company was coping with the tough challenges of manufacturing in Nigeria, Obi described the challenges as huge, noting however, that tenacity and a sense of patriotism had been the driving force for her and other Nigerian industrialists.

She, however, pleaded with government to put measures in place to discourage the influx of imported sub-standard LPG cylinders, which she said, had constituted up to 95 per cent of cylinders in circulation in the country.

Obi thanked the Lagos State Government for providing a congenial atmosphere for the Techno Oil Group to operate, pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari to introduce policies that would encourage local investments.

The industrialist, who is a strong advocate for cooking gas adoption, said that using LPG was imperative to make the environment neater, save financial resources and sustain the nation’s eco-system.

According to her, Techno Oil has been entering strategic partnerships, to promote LPG usage among key institutions and individuals in the country.

Obi said that many homes in the country had started using LPG, noting that TechnoGas cylinders had come handy for everyone, instead of them using fire wood, charcoal and other dangerous energy sources. (NAN)