Key points
- The Federal Government has launched the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme in Bayelsa.
- The initiative aims to provide cooking gas to 27,000 households in the state.
- Government says the programme supports its target of moving five million households from firewood to LPG by 2030.
- Bayelsa became the first state to host the state-level rollout of the programme.
Main story
The Federal Government has flagged off the National Grassroots Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Penetration Programme in Bayelsa State as part of efforts to expand access to clean cooking energy and reduce dependence on firewood.
The programme, launched in Yenagoa, is expected to provide cooking gas to 27,000 households across the state and forms part of the government’s broader clean energy agenda.
Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources improve the lives of citizens through increased access to affordable and cleaner energy.
He said the programme, under the Decade of Gas initiative, targets the migration of five million Nigerian households from firewood to cooking gas by 2030.
Ekpo noted that Bayelsa was selected as the first state for the state-level rollout because of its status as one of Nigeria’s leading gas-producing states.
He added that the government had previously directed gas producers to prioritise domestic supply over exports at a time of rising prices, a move he said contributed to lowering the cost of cooking gas.
According to the minister, the state-level rollout builds on earlier zonal pilot programmes implemented across the country’s six geopolitical zones and is designed to bring clean cooking solutions closer to households nationwide.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, who officially flagged off the distribution, commended the Federal Government for the initiative.
He said the programme would help reduce environmental pollution while improving access to cleaner energy for residents.
The issues
Despite Nigeria’s large natural gas reserves, many households still rely on firewood and other traditional fuels for cooking. Expanding access to LPG is expected to improve public health, reduce deforestation and support the country’s transition to cleaner energy sources.
What’s being said
“At the heart of this programme lies a simple but powerful conviction: that the promise of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas must translate into dignity, safety, and improved wellbeing for our people.” — Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas).
Bottom line
The Bayelsa rollout marks the beginning of the Federal Government’s state-by-state expansion of its clean cooking initiative, aimed at increasing LPG adoption and reducing reliance on traditional cooking fuels across Nigeria.
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