The Decade of Gas program received a major boost as the Federal Government expressed that it is expanding its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration programme in the six geo-political zones of the country, as it unveiled cooking gas outreach in Southeast, targeting one million homes per year.
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, revealed this in Owerri, Imo state capital, during the Flag-Off of the LPG Penetration Programme and Distribution of LPG Cylinders in the South-East, Imo State.
Speaking at the event, the Minister expressed joy at being in the region to officially flag off the LPG penetration programme and distribution of LPG cylinders, in partnership with the Imo State Government.
He explained that this event was another milestone in the implementation of the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas Initiative, championed by President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, clean cooking is not just an energy choice; it is a life-changing intervention.
For decades, many Nigerian households have relied on firewood, charcoal, and kerosene—fuel sources that endanger health, degrade the environment, and place a heavy burden on women and children.
With the transition to LPG, the Minister noted that FG aimed to eliminate exposure to dangerous smoke that causes respiratory diseases; reduce time spent by women and girls in gathering firewood, allow for education and economic activities; protect forests and biodiversity by reducing the demand for firewood; increase household savings through efficient and reliable cooking energy; and enhance safety in homes with modern, regulated fuel.
He noted that clean cooking improves health, protects the environment, and enables families to live with dignity and convenience.
He stressed that this initiative also aligns with the United Nations Clean Cooking Agenda and contributes directly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
According to him, over 17 million households in Nigeria still depend on biomass for cooking, one of the largest contributors to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
“By transitioning these households to LPG, we significantly reduce carbon emissions while safeguarding our forests and the climate”, he said.
The minister said over the past months, the programme was launched across the geopolitical zones, beginning in the North-Central, extending to the South-South, South-West, North-East, North-West, and now proudly arriving in the South-East.
“Our target under the Decade of Gas is to transition 5,000,000 Nigerian homes to clean cooking gas by 2030.”
READ ALSO: Trump Demands CNN Gets New Owners In Warner Bidding War
He noted that strong partnerships were responsible for the success so far recorded, especially acknowledging the Imo State Government for embracing the initiative with enthusiasm, and for providing the enabling environment.
The Minister expressed appreciation to the Coordinator of the Decade of Gas Programme and dedicated private sector partners, whose technical support, logistics capacity, and unwavering commitment have driven the success of the programme nationwide.
He said, “To our women and youth beneficiaries, the cylinders you receive today are tools of empowerment. Clean cooking creates opportunities across the value chain, from cylinder distribution and maintenance to retail supply and safety training.”
According to the Minister, by expanding LPG use, ” we are creating jobs, stimulating local enterprise, and building a stronger, safer, and more economically vibrant region.’
The Minister believed that the South-East zone, known for its entrepreneurship and innovation, stands to gain immensely from the opportunities emerging across the gas value chain.
He prayed, “As we flag off the LPG Penetration Programme in the South-East today, let us move forward with shared commitment to health, to safety, to environmental stewardship, and to national progress.”
The Minister said that the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), will continue to intensify LPG safety education and expand last-mile distribution networks to ensure that every household can adopt LPG safely and confidently.
According to him, ” together, we are building a Nigeria where no child grows up inhaling harmful smoke, where women cook with dignity and safety, where forests are preserved, and where gas truly becomes a catalyst for national prosperity.”
