The federal government plans to hold a meeting with regulatory bodies and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) producers to address the recent increase in cooking gas prices. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), announced this during the ‘LPG Grassroots Penetration and Cylinder Distribution Programme’ for the southwest zone. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average cost to refill a 12.5kg cylinder has risen to N14,261.57 from N9,162.11 in July 2023.
Ekpo, speaking at an event in Lagos, expressed concern over the escalating price and pledged to engage stakeholders to find a solution.
“I just got that information this morning that the price of gas is getting up again,” the minister said.
“So, what I’m going to do is that I will invite the regulators and the producers and have a meeting with them.
“What we are looking for is to bring down the price of gas so that it will be affordable.
“In the energy security we are talking about, we are talking about affordability, availability. Whatever the reason behind the hike in price is, we will make sure we bring it down.”
At the event, the decade of gas secretariat and some partners distributed 250 fully-filled LPG cylinders to underserved households in Lagos.
Speaking about the programme, the minister said the distributed cylinders were a manifestation of the current administration’s unwavering dedication to enhancing domestic gas utilisation.
Ekpo said with the gesture, the government was taking tangible steps toward achieving its broader goal.
The minister said the programme was a key component of the ‘Decade of Gas Initiative’, which envisions converting 250,000 homes to clean cooking gas within the next decade.
He also said the government is committed to realising the vision through strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors.
“Our focus on LPG is driven by its potential to improve household energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and foster economic growth,” he said.
“Clean cooking gas represents a cleaner, safer, and more efficient alternative to traditional fuels, and it is our mission to ensure that its benefits are accessible to all, especially women and youth who play a pivotal role in our communities.
“I would like to solicit corporate, private, and public sponsorship to advance this program beyond our goal of one million households. Our aims is to convert over one million homes across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking. Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), highlighted this initiative as a major step towards increasing LPG adoption and improving energy access in Nigeria. Represented by Paul Osu, Komolafe emphasized that the initiative promotes a greener, more sustainable energy future. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, also encouraged Nigerians to switch to LPG, noting it is more convenient, quicker, and safer than using firewood. He was represented by his special technical adviser, Babatunde Bolaji.
