The Federal Government has launched a major push to make cooking gas more accessible to Nigerian households, with plans to reach more than 10 million homes by 2060.
The initiative, known as the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, is designed to encourage Nigerians to move away from traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and kerosene and adopt cleaner cooking options.
The programme is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) in partnership with the Decade of Gas Initiative. Akwa Ibom State became the second state to benefit from the nationwide rollout after Bayelsa State.
Speaking at the launch in Akwa Ibom, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the government plans to reach one million households every year.
He said the target is to provide access to LPG for five million homes by 2030, with the programme eventually reaching more than 10 million households by 2060.
According to the minister, the initiative is not only about distributing cooking gas cylinders. It is also aimed at improving public health, protecting the environment, creating jobs and giving women greater economic opportunities.
The government is calling on state governments, regulators, gas companies, financial institutions, communities, traditional leaders and development partners to support the programme and ensure that it continues to expand.
In Akwa Ibom, about 27,000 filled LPG cylinders are expected to be distributed to women. The programme will eventually cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Officials said a new distribution system would make LPG refills easier for people living in rural communities. Under the Depot-Hub-Node model, refill points are expected to be located within one to two kilometres of participating communities.
Beneficiaries will also receive up to six free refills to encourage them to continue using LPG after receiving their cylinders.
A digital monitoring system will be used to track the cylinders, refills and household adoption, helping authorities reduce waste and improve accountability.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority also welcomed the programme, describing the cylinder tracking and refill system as important steps toward making the initiative sustainable.
The government hopes the programme will contribute to its wider target of increasing Nigeria’s domestic LPG consumption to five million metric tonnes annually by 2030.
Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno praised the initiative, saying it could improve living conditions while creating new opportunities in the state’s growing gas industry.
He said the state was interested in attracting investments in LPG bottling, cylinder production and maintenance, gas storage, transportation, logistics and processing.
The government also used the event to launch a rural women empowerment programme. Under the initiative, 3,000 women will each receive N100,000, providing a total of N300 million in direct financial support for businesses, agriculture and household income.
With Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom already covered, officials said the grassroots LPG programme will continue moving from state to state.
The initiative could therefore become an important part of Nigeria’s efforts to expand clean cooking, develop its domestic gas market and improve economic opportunities in rural communities.
