The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the Federal Government plans to move five million homes to clean cooking through its Liquefied Petroleum Gas penetration initiative. He said the five million target would be achieved in the year 2030.
Ekpo disclosed that free gas cylinders have been distributed across the country, except in the South-East. The gas minister stated this at the ongoing Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Lagos.
“We have rolled out the LPG penetration programme, distributing cylinders across the six geopolitical zones, except the South-East for now. We are empowering women and youth, promoting clean cooking with a renewed target of moving about five million homes to clean cooking by year 2030,” he said.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu placed gas at the heart of Nigeria’s energy strategy, with an ambition to utilise the country’s abundant natural gas resources to fuel industrialisation, create jobs, and expand access to clean and affordable energy for all Nigerians.
“Over the past years, we have taken decisive steps in line with this vision. We have expanded gas supply for industrial use, prioritising gas availability for manufacturing hubs, power generation, and industrial corridors.
As of today, I have been reassured that every gas off-taker currently receives the gas they require for their industrial processes,” he explained.
Ekpo added that the country has increased investment in gas infrastructure with critical projects like OB3 and AKK pipelines, progressing to deliver gas to the market nationwide, commending the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for its efforts.
He explained that the government has promoted modular and scalable gas projects, including mini-LNG and CNG stations, to improve last-mile assets and stimulate global economic activity.
He also highlighted the efforts of the ministry to build a sustainable energy future through gas utilisation. He said the adoption of digital solutions, automations, and data-driven tools across the gas value chain is essential.
From reservoir monitoring to distribution analytics, he stated that emerging technologies can enhance efficiency, reduce emissions, and optimise delivery.
“The ministry continues to collaborate with industry players to foster digital innovation. The strong local supply chain is essential to sustaining the gas economy. We are driving localisation of equipment manufacturing, pipe production, and other critical components that reduce import dependence and build national resilience. Our human capital remains our greatest asset.
“We are committed to nurturing a technically sound, diverse, and future-ready workforce through continuous training, strategic economic-industry partnerships, and deliberate youth and gender inclusion policies in the gas space.”
