 Welcome back to the breakfast in Plosivia, Africa. A second conversation that's about the scarcity of gas as it might just be hitting Nigerians really hard. The indication that gas prices will further increase and Nigerians may have to pay higher as marketers have hinted that a high exchange rate of dollar to the Naira is having a negative impact on importation. The National Portion Controller and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Niger, Ipman Mike Osatouye, said independent marketers source dollar for importation from the black market. Hence, gas would continue to increase until the Naira strengthened at the exchange market. Members who still sell gas bought gas at 20 metric tons at around 11 million Naira those last month, but now the price has jumped to 12.3 million Naira per 20 metric tons that's according to the President. He noted that gas consumption due to the risk of further increase hike as a dollar continued to be strengthened. Apart from low gas supplies, the internal or international market, majorly due to the Russian and Ukraine war. This shows that gas production from Niger liquefied natural gas limited, that's the LNG has gone high or has dropped. The drop in the output was majorly due to the high level thefts as well as oil and gas pipeline vandalism which has left the NLNG operating at 60% capacity. We have a guest joining us this morning. He's an economic expert who's saying thank you for joining us this morning. What are your thoughts on the current challenges that the sector is faced with? We have the Ukraine crisis and you also have the fact that we're on the producing line. Thank you so much. I think in addition to what you just mentioned, which is the majorly the Ukraine war because we export the good oil, we don't refine, we export and we buy part of the export that is refined back from the countries who majorly refined. Given looking that aside and considering the Ukraine-Russia war which also contributed to the gas capacity in the world currently, we also have our internal issue in Nigeria. There, for example, you can see the transportation of the refined produce is also an issue. Just like we currently experience Kogilokajar roads with floods, we also have other link roads to the north like Sungerubindara road also being affected by the flood. There are a lot of factors that are affecting the acting price. You've already mentioned Ikuzaran, I can dollar it, which also contributed to it. I think it's the right time we look towards reviving our debt refineries because if that is in place, at least it would decentralize the refined process and make available the gas that we need to operate in different regions like we have refineries in major regions in the country. So what becomes of the country where you have those who are patronizing our products are now having double thoughts on certainty, following an inability to supply, and so you're looking for alternative. What becomes of the economy at this point? So the basic truth is we still need to look inwards at the strategize. A dependent economy is not too good because when issues of natural disasters or issues that is beyond our control upon, it is meant for us to experience challenges like this. So we need to wake up from where we are and start working towards being independent so that we don't lose our savings. We need to work towards ensuring that we are self-sufficient as a country. So I'd like to ask you, none as an expert, what will be the way forward? How do we navigate our way out of this now? So first and first, I think there is new initiative from DangoTail Refinery to ensure that we find our produce, our good old self, and I will also go with just like the way NMPC is being privatized at the moment, I think the current refinery owned by Nigeria should also be privatized. It should be sold out such that the government can manage and regulate and ensure that they are working in full capacity. With this, I believe we are going to have a better solution to the challenges we currently experience. So, you know, every other time we talk about this, there's always a response that there's going to be a DangoTail Refinery or there's a DangoTail Refinery. I mean, we're talking about the price hike now. So the price is already on the high and we're expecting an increase. Does having the DangoTail Refinery solve the problem of having this product at a fair price? Because I'm wondering. Okay, so, majorly what we have as an issue in Nigeria, there are just two things. And if those two things are fixed, every other thing will be fixed. We are predominantly a dependent country and we need to fix power. We also need to fix roads or means of transportation, rather. If we're able to fix power, at least if we are producing, we can divert issues of gas. The SS gas produced to power lights for domestic use. Why we focus our hydro power stations to industrial use? So that because hydro power stations are actually cheaper compared to gas generated electricity. And it's because of the heavy power that industries need to operate. It will be good. We focus our productivity of electricity to industry through hydro power generation. If we're able to fix power, we have fixed approximately 60 pieces. Our prospects will be the same as our problems. Then roads will still become a producing country. And the price of dollar to Nigeria will just be reasonable. And we'll get ourselves out of this in mess. Hussaini or Larry Waju, thank you so much for being part of the show. We have to go because we're out of time. But we appreciate you on short notice for making our time to be with us. You're welcome. Have a great day. And that's it. We're looking at the increase, the tendency that we probably might just have an increase in the prices of gas due to the many challenges that the country is faced with internal and external issues. And that's the size of a conversation. It's OK to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And that's if you missed out on any part of the conversation. And do subscribe to our YouTube channel. It's a plus TV Africa and plus TV Africa lifestyle. My name is Messi Boko. Thank you for joining us. Have a great day.