The Federal Government has launched the North-west zone phase of its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) grassroots penetration programme and cylinder distribution initiative, with the goal of boosting access to clean cooking energy across Nigeria.
The event, held at the Sokoto State International Conference Centre, was flagged off by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring 5 million LPG cylinders are distributed nationwide by 2030.
“We are immensely proud to bring the next phase of this initiative to the North-west Zone,” Ekpo stated, according to his spokesman Louis Ibah. He noted that the programme has already been successfully launched in the South-west, South-south, and North-east zones, after its initial debut in Abuja in May 2024.
The initiative aims to convert an average of 1 million households annually over the next five years, with a strong emphasis on clean energy adoption, public health improvement, and environmental sustainability.
Ekpo highlighted the unique role of the North-west in achieving the programme’s objectives, describing it as a region of vibrant communities, cultural depth, and entrepreneurial drive.
Analysts see the cylinder distribution programme as a critical step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on biomass and firewood, while aligning with the country’s broader climate commitments and energy transition goals.
