The Federal Government has initiated a program to distribute free gas cylinders as part of its efforts to promote clean cooking energy. The program, titled LPG Grassroots Penetration, aims to convert at least one million households to clean cooking gas by 2030, starting with the distribution of around 250,000 gas cylinders to women in rural areas across the country.
At the launch in Abuja, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, emphasized the government’s commitment to boosting domestic gas consumption. He highlighted the health benefits of using gas as the primary cooking fuel, particularly for women and girls who are most vulnerable to the effects of traditional cooking fuels like firewood and kerosene.
The program, funded by the private sector, aims to eliminate the use of wood and kerosene in households and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s theme of “Gas to Prosperity, a Renewed Hope.” It will provide over a million cooking cylinders primarily to rural women, leveraging Nigeria’s abundant gas resources and partnering with the private sector for distribution.