In a bid to promote clean cooking energy across Nigeria, the Federal Government (FG) has launched an ambitious program to distribute free gas cylinders, aiming to transition at least one million households to clean cooking gas by 2030. This initiative, part of the ‘Decade of Gas’ campaign, was inaugurated yesterday in Abuja, with a focus on reaching women in rural communities.
The program, titled “LPG Grassroots Penetration,” plans to distribute approximately 250,000 gas cylinders annually. At the launch event in the Apo Resettlement area, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, highlighted the administration’s commitment to increasing domestic gas usage.
During the ceremony, Ekpo oversaw the distribution of 1,000 gas cylinders filled with 3kg of gas to women from the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory. He emphasized that the shift to gas as a primary cooking fuel would significantly improve the health of women and girls, who are most affected by the harmful effects of traditional cooking methods.
“We’re not just introducing a program today; we’re on a mission to transform millions of Nigerian lives across our six geographical zones. By 2030, our goal is to convert 250,000 households annually to clean cooking gas, which is ambitious but achievable,” Ekpo stated.
He continued, “This program underscores our unwavering commitment to reducing the over-reliance on solid fuels, which have long been the primary energy source for many households, including firewood, kerosene, and charcoal.”
Mr. Ed Ubong, the Coordinating Director of the ‘Decade of Gas’ program, added that the initiative is privately funded and aims to eliminate the use of wood and kerosene in homes. He noted that the program aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of “Gas to Prosperity, a Renewed Hope.”
Ubong stated, “As part of the LPG grassroots program, we are committed to distributing over a million cooking cylinders, primarily to women in rural areas. Cooking gas is cleaner, and Nigeria has abundant gas resources. We will partner with the private sector, under the supervision of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), to deploy these cylinders at a rate of about 250,000 per year to all parts of Nigeria.”
The initiative is expected to have a significant impact on public health and environmental sustainability by reducing the dependence on harmful solid fuels. As the FG moves forward with this project, the anticipated benefits include improved air quality and better health outcomes for millions of Nigerians, particularly in underserved rural communities.
