Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has attributed the enduring success of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model adopted at the inception of the company.
Governor Fubara made this known while receiving the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Adeleye Falade, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House in Port Harcourt.
NLNG operates under a joint ownership structure involving Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with a 49 per cent stake, Shell Gas B.V. with 25.6 per cent, Total LNG Nigeria Ltd holding 15 per cent, and Eni International with 10.4 per cent.
The governor noted that this structure has enabled the sharing of risks, operational costs, and technical expertise in the liquefied natural gas sector.
Reflecting on the company’s performance, Fubara observed that NLNG has demonstrated resilience and consistent growth over nearly three decades, despite operating in a challenging business and political environment.
He credited this stability to the Federal Government’s decision to allow experienced multinational oil companies to manage operations, while retaining regulatory oversight.
“I’m very proud to say that if there is one establishment that has shown resilience, that has survived in the face of all the political issues prevalent in this country, it is the NLNG.
“And what is the reason? The reason is very simple. Government has no business in business. That is the truth,” he said.
”Leave the business for those people who can operate it. Let the government play its supervisory role to ensure compliance with laws, maintain standards, and ensure that the right people with the needed expertise are at the helm of affairs.
”That is why we continue to record success in NLNG, ” he added.
Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting corporate organisations operating within the state, stressing that the success of NLNG directly translates to the success of Rivers State and the nation at large.
“Our duty is to make sure that we support whoever is operating in our state.
“If we don’t support you and you don’t succeed, we also will not succeed, and Mr President will also not succeed.
”So the success of your establishment is the success of our state and, overall, the success of Nigeria, ” he said.
He assured the NLNG leadership of continued collaboration, adding that relevant government agencies would maintain open channels of engagement to facilitate the company’s operations.
Earlier in his remarks, the NLNG Managing Director, Mr Falade, expressed appreciation to the state government for its consistent support and reiterated the company’s commitment to national development, with Rivers State as a key stakeholder.
“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and deepen this important relationship.
“We deeply value the support the Rivers State Government continues to extend in fostering an enabling operating environment for businesses.
”NLNG remains deliberate in its contribution to Nigeria’s development, and Rivers State, our primary host, continues to be central to that commitment, ” he said.
Falade added that the company has sustained partnerships with host communities to drive development initiatives and improve livelihoods.
He listed communities such as Amadi-Ama, Abua, Ekpeye, Okrika, Kalabari, and Emohua as beneficiaries of NLNG’s community-focused programmes.
He further highlighted the company’s investments in economic empowerment through initiatives such as the Vocational Innovation and Business Empowerment Scheme (VIBES) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) programmes, designed to support small businesses and stimulate local economic growth.
The NLNG delegation included senior management staff across external relations, government affairs, and community engagement units.
