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FG Begins Nationwide Free LPG Distribution in Bayelsa
By: Felix Ikpotor The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) and the Decade of Gas Initiative, has officially launched the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme (NGLPP) in Bayelsa State, marking the commencement of the programme’s nationwide state-by-state rollout to expand access to clean cooking energy and improve the lives of millions of Nigerians. The launch marks a major milestone in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, demonstrating the Administration’s commitment to leveraging Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources to improve household welfare, create jobs, protect the environment and drive inclusive economic growth. Following successful implementation across the 6 geopolitical zones, the programme now enters its nationwide phase with a target of 5 million households by 2030, reaching one million households annually. Welcoming participants, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Mr. Ed Ubong, described the programme as one of the Federal Government’s flagship interventions under the Decade of Gas Initiative. 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 by Shell, and home to Africa’s largest gas processing plant. He noted that the programme’s sustainable design featuring cylinder recirculation, digital monitoring, safety education and structured refill support will ensure long-term adoption of LPG across Nigeria. Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the launch as “a landmark moment in our collective journey towards cleaner energy, healthier homes and a more prosperous nation.” He reaffirmed that the programme is a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at ensuring Nigeria’s over 215 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves deliver tangible benefits to citizens. The Minister announced that 27,000 LPG cylinders would be distributed across Bayelsa State under the programme, noting that each cylinder distributed represents one less household dependent on firewood and charcoal, leading to improved public health, reduced deforestation, lower greenhouse gas emissions and greater economic opportunities. He added that increased LPG utilisation would stimulate local manufacturing, entrepreneurship and employment throughout the gas value chain and called on governments, industry players, development partners and communities to support the programme as it expands nationwide. The Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, commended the programme’s innovative cylinder recirculation model, structured refill support and barcode-enabled digital monitoring system, describing them as critical to sustainability, safety and consumer confidence. He noted that the programme’s target of one million households annually and 5 million households by 2030 aligns with Nigeria’s objective of increasing domestic LPG consumption to five million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, while reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to ensuring LPG remains safe, available and affordable. Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs, Hajia Fatima Farouk, who described the initiative as a women’s health, women’s livelihood and women’s dignity programme. She noted that fewer than one in four Nigerians currently have access to clean cooking energy and highlighted the Ministry’s partnership through the Nigeria for Women Programme, which has organised over 500,000 women into more than 26,000 savings and enterprise groups, the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 Programme, and the Women in Nigeria’s Gas Sector Initiative to ensure women are both beneficiaries and entrepreneurs across the LPG value chain. Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Mrs. Leah Tolulope Akinfiresoye, who described the programme as a practical demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda and highlighted the opportunities it creates for young Nigerians through green jobs, entrepreneurship, climate action and skills development under the Ministry’s Circular Economy Youth Empowerment Initiative. Governor Douye Diri thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) and the Decade of Gas Initiative for selecting Bayelsa as the pilot state. He described the initiative as a significant step towards ending the long-standing paradox of oil and gas-producing communities relying on firewood for cooking. He urged beneficiaries to embrace LPG as a cleaner and healthier alternative, advocated for a longer subsidised refill transition period to support sustainability, and highlighted Bayelsa’s strategic role in Nigeria’s gas industry, noting that the state supplies a significant proportion of gas processed at the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny and is already using gas to power its state-owned gas turbine electricity plant, improving electricity supply across the state. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Patience Oyekunle, commended all partners for their collaboration and encouraged beneficiaries to use the cylinders safely and become ambassadors of clean cooking within their communities. The event featured the unveiling of the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, beneficiary sensitisation on LPG safety, cultural performances and the official flag-off of LPG cylinder distribution. It attracted senior government officials, industry leaders, development partners, traditional rulers, women and youth groups, civil society organisations and beneficiaries from across Bayelsa State. Following the successful launch in Bayelsa State, the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme will continue its nationwide state-by-state rollout, with Delta State scheduled to be the next State as the Federal Government advances its target of reaching five million Nigerian households with clean cooking energy by 2030. ...
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