Decade Of Gas Initiative Starts Nationwide Grassroots LPG Programme

The Decade of Gas Initiative, a body commissioned by the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), to make sure that cooking gas gets to rural communities, has launched the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme (NGLPP), with Bayelsa State serving as the pilot state for a nationwide campaign aimed at expanding access to clean cooking energy across Nigeria.

The programme, which targets five million households by 2030, marks a major milestone in the implementation of the Decade of Gas Initiative, the Federal Government’s flagship gas development programme designed to transform Nigeria into a gas-powered economy while improving the quality of life of millions of citizens.

Speaking at the launch in Yenagoa, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Mr Ed Ubong, described the programme as one of the initiative’s flagship interventions to promote domestic gas utilisation and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy.

He explained that Bayelsa was deliberately selected as the pilot state because it is the birthplace of Nigeria’s petroleum industry, where crude oil was first commercially discovered, and home to one of Africa’s largest gas processing facilities.

Ubong noted that the programme’s innovative design, which incorporates cylinder recirculation, digital monitoring, safety education and structured refill support, would ensure the long-term adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by households across the country.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the launch as a landmark step towards cleaner energy, healthier homes and a more prosperous Nigeria.

He said the programme reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by ensuring that Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves translate into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.

According to the minister, 27,000 LPG cylinders will be distributed across Bayelsa State during the first phase of the programme, stressing that every household switching from firewood and charcoal to LPG will contribute to improved public health, reduced deforestation, lower greenhouse gas emissions and expanded economic opportunities.

He added that increased LPG adoption would stimulate local manufacturing, entrepreneurship and employment across the gas value chain, while calling on governments, development partners, industry operators and communities to support the nationwide rollout.

The Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, commended the programme’s cylinder recirculation model and barcode-enabled digital monitoring system, describing them as critical to ensuring safety, sustainability and consumer confidence.

He noted that the programme aligns with Nigeria’s target of increasing domestic LPG consumption to five million metric tonnes annually by 2030.

Representing the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs, Hajiya Fatima Farouk, described the initiative as a programme that promotes women’s health, livelihoods and dignity.

She said the ministry would leverage existing women empowerment platforms and enterprise groups to ensure women benefit both as users and entrepreneurs within the LPG value chain.

Governor Douye Diri commended the Federal Government and the Decade of Gas Initiative for selecting Bayelsa as the pilot state.

He described the programme as a significant step towards ending the irony of oil- and gas-producing communities depending on firewood for cooking and urged beneficiaries to embrace LPG as a cleaner and healthier alternative.

The governor also advocated for an extended subsidised refill period to encourage sustained adoption and highlighted Bayelsa’s strategic contribution to Nigeria’s gas industry.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience N. Oyekunle, urged beneficiaries to use the cylinders safely and become ambassadors of clean cooking within their communities.

The event featured the official unveiling of the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, LPG safety demonstrations, cultural performances and the distribution of LPG cylinders to beneficiaries.

Following its successful launch in Bayelsa, the Decade of Gas Initiative will continue the state-by-state rollout of the programme, with Delta State scheduled as the next destination, as the Federal Government advances its goal of providing clean cooking energy to five million Nigerian households by 2030.

Launched in 2021, the Decade of Gas Initiative is the Federal Government’s long-term strategy to harness Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources to drive industrialisation, improve power generation, expand domestic gas utilisation and increase access to clean cooking energy.

Through programmes such as the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, the initiative seeks to reduce dependence on firewood and kerosene, improve household air quality, protect the environment and stimulate inclusive economic growth.