*Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, says the Company is positioned to deploy 740 LPG micro distribution centres and 37 filling plants in its 541 gas stations across the country, to surpass last year’s 1.7million tonnes in the next three years, with a plan to record 30 million 聽households using cooking gas by 2027

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As part of the Federal Government’s measures to enhance the local use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise known as Cooking Gas in the West African country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) has disclosed it is partnering with stakeholders to boost both accessibility and affordability of LPG in the economy.

Malam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Limited, stated this Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at the WLGPA India-Nigeria LPG Summit in Abuja, FCT.

The summit with the theme, 鈥楨nergising the Future: Leveraging the Indian Experience to Achieve Nigerian National LPG Aspiration’, was targeted at learning and implementing India鈥檚 successful LPG models and advancements in the last 10 years.

The NNPC GCEO, represented at the summit by Adeyemi Adetunji, Group Executive Director (GED) Downstream of the NNPC, said in 2016, the Indian Government pursued an intensive LPG penetration drive in the country, providing free cylinders, stoves and valves to end users.

Malam Kyari also noted that the effort increased Nigeria’s LPG consumption from 62 percent in 2016 to 99.8 percent by August 2019 鈥� setting the country鈥檚 current consumption at 30 million tonnes.

NNPC Limited is positioned to deploy 740 LPG micro distribution centres and 37 filling plants in its 541 gas stations within the next three years, to increase Nigeria鈥檚 1.7million tonnes of LPG consumption recorded last year, said he.

The NNPC Chief further stated that 鈥淣igeria has identified its abundant gas resources as fuel for energy transition which informed her net zero commitments by 2060 and the declaration of 2021-2030 as decade of gas.

鈥淣NPC is collaborating with the office of the vice-president and other stakeholders on establishment of Gas Funding Company Limited for the injection of 20 million cylinders in the next five years under the marketer cylinder owned model.鈥�

The Indian experience, by Shrikant Vaidya, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation

Speaking at the forum, Shrikant Vaidya, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, acknowledged LPG as a transformational fuel capable of lifting the country out of poverty.

Vaidya noted that learning from the Indian experience would eliminate the use of firewood, coal and kerosene by millions of Nigerian consumers for cooking.

Vaidya, citing a report by WHO, said: 鈥淪moke inhaled by women from unclean fuel is equivalent to smoking 400 sticks of cigarettes in an hour. “Thus, ruining their health. Moreover, by releasing LPG connections directly into their homes, it empowers rural women.

鈥淒riven by the inspiring stewardship of the NNPC, the Nigerian energy market is also one of the impressive growth trajectories.”

The Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation also said: 鈥淚鈥檓 sure that [the] presence of officials from NNPC, Indian Oil and World LPG association at the summit will enrich the deliberation bordering global LPG penetration.鈥�

In his contribution, Adeyemi Dipeolu, Special Adviser (SA) to the President on Economic Matters in the Office of the Vice-President, said the Federal Government planned to convert 30 million households in Nigeria to use of cooking gas by 2027.