NNPC ready for biofuel production, grows 2,675 hectares of cassava for ethanol
In line with its automotive bio-fuel programme for the production of fuel-ethanol and bio-diesel that would be blended with premium motor spirit, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has cultivated 2,675 hectares of cassava plantations for the processing of bioethanol in Kebbi State.
Ethanol is a biofuel extracted from starchy crops like maize and cassava.
According to the Chairman of Kebbi State government committee on biofuels, Prof. Mohammad Ka’oje, the scheme is a joint project between Kebbi State and NNPC which was jointly financed to the tune of N500 million each, and 5,000 hectares of land was acquired for biofuel production.
He explained that the state government was required to provide up to 20,000 hectares for the scheme with NNPC for cassava and sugarcane, while the NNPC handles the other productions.
“I wish to seize this opportunity to report to you that KBSG has met all its obligations under the MOU.
“In addition, it was agreed at a joint meeting of the partners that the state government should cultivate 5,000 hectares of cassava which will also form additional equity share for the state.
“So far, 2,675 hectares have been cultivated and fully established. This is for the purpose of generating seedlings and raw material for a test run of the machinery,” the committee chairman said in a statement.
He added that the NNPC would handle the land validation, feasibility studies, and soil testing and also interact with the necessary stakeholders to handle the project.
Recall that in 2017, NNPC signed an MoU with Kebbi State to cultivate 20,000 hectares of cassava and sugarcane in the Kanya district of Zuru emirate of Kebbi for biofuel production.
Biofuel is known as an alternative to diesel fuel, but there are other uses. It can provide hydrogen, clean up oil, work as cooking oil and more.
The United States was by far one of the largest producers of biofuel in the world in 2018. The country produced 35 million metric tons of oil equivalents in 2019, while Brazil produced 22.4 million metric tons of the same.
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