Precious Obogo
The Federal Government is making preparations to distribute five million gas cylinders to households across the country by 2030, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo has said.
The Minister made this announcement while launching the North-West phase of the Grassroots Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Penetration Programme in Sokoto on Tuesday.
He described the scheme as a major step towards ensuring nationwide access to clean energy, adding that similar launches had already taken place in the South-West, South-South, North-East, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“With the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we aim to distribute five million LPG cylinders by 2030, converting one million households each year to cleaner, safer, and more sustainable cooking practices,” Ekpo stated.
He emphasised that the initiative goes beyond cooking gas, highlighting its potential to improve health, reduce environmental degradation, and create job opportunities for women and young people within the LPG value chain.
The programme, he explained, would cut down indoor air pollution, combat deforestation, empower local communities, and support indigenous manufacturers and distributors.
Ekpo expressed his gratitude to the Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, for his warm reception and ongoing support, and to the Sultan of Sokoto for his leadership and commitment to the welfare of the people.
He also commended the Decade of Gas Secretariat for their strategic leadership in advancing the initiative and extended special thanks to BUA Group — the main sponsor of the LPG cylinder rollout — for facilitating access to clean energy in underserved communities and fostering strong public-private partnerships.