The Federal Government has revealed plans to move five million Nigerian homes to clean cooking by the year 2030 through its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration programme. This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, during his address at the ongoing Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Lagos.
According to the Minister, the LPG programme involves the distribution of free cooking gas cylinders across the six geopolitical zones of the country. So far, the initiative has covered every region except the South-East, which is expected to benefit in the next phase of the distribution. Ekpo explained that the move is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to promote clean cooking energy and reduce reliance on traditional cooking fuels like firewood and charcoal, which have negative effects on the environment and public health.
“We have rolled out the LPG penetration programme, distributing cylinders across the six geopolitical zones, except the South-East for now,” the Minister said. “We are empowering women and youth, promoting clean cooking with a renewed target of moving about five million homes to clean cooking by the year 2030.”
The Minister added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made gas a central part of Nigeria’s energy strategy, with the goal of using the country’s natural gas resources to drive industrial growth, create jobs, and improve access to clean and affordable energy for all Nigerians. He noted that since the administration came on board, several strategic steps have been taken to increase gas supply for industrial use, especially in manufacturing, power generation, and other key sectors.
“Today, I have been reassured that every gas off-taker currently receives the gas they require for their industrial processes,” Ekpo said.
He also pointed out that the Federal Government has invested significantly in expanding gas infrastructure across Nigeria. Projects like the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) pipeline and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline are progressing steadily, and once completed, will boost domestic gas delivery and supply to critical sectors.
Ekpo commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) for leading many of the gas projects across the country and stressed that modular and scalable gas initiatives are being introduced to support local communities and industries. These include mini-LNG plants and compressed natural gas (CNG) stations to improve access to affordable energy, especially in rural areas.
He emphasised the importance of digital technologies in building a sustainable gas economy. According to him, tools like reservoir monitoring, distribution analytics, and data-driven systems are helping improve gas delivery efficiency, reduce emissions, and ensure better service delivery.
“The Ministry continues to work with industry players to foster digital innovation in the gas sector,” Ekpo stated. “A strong local supply chain is also critical to the success of the gas sector. That is why we are promoting the local production of gas-related equipment such as pipes and other critical components. This will help reduce the country’s reliance on imports and build a more resilient energy industry.”
He further highlighted the importance of human capital development in sustaining the sector. According to the Minister, the government is committed to training a new generation of Nigerian professionals who are technically sound and ready to take on roles in the evolving gas sector.
“We are building a future-ready workforce through continuous training, public-private partnerships, and policies that encourage youth and gender inclusion in the gas industry,” he added.
The LPG penetration initiative is expected to reduce Nigeria’s carbon emissions, improve public health outcomes, and contribute to achieving the country’s climate goals under the Paris Agreement. It will also reduce the use of firewood and charcoal, which are responsible for deforestation and respiratory illnesses in many rural communities.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the initiative, saying it could boost the domestic LPG market, create jobs, and attract investments in cylinder manufacturing, gas storage, and logistics.
As the government intensifies efforts to meet its 2030 target, observers say sustained funding, local production of cylinders, and public awareness will be key to the programme’s long-term success.
