The Federal Government on Tuesday launched the National Grassroots Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Penetration Programme in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in a move aimed at expanding access to clean cooking energy and reducing environmental pollution.
The initiative will provide LPG to 27,000 households in Bayelsa as part of the government’s target of transitioning five million Nigerian households from firewood to cleaner cooking fuel by 2030 under the Decade of Gas initiative.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the programme would help reduce deforestation, curb harmful emissions from firewood use, and improve public health by promoting cleaner energy alternatives.
Ekpo said Bayelsa was selected as the first state for the nationwide LPG cylinder distribution programme because of its strategic position as one of Nigeria’s leading gas-producing states.
He noted that the Federal Government had also taken steps to improve domestic LPG availability by prioritising local supply, helping to moderate cooking gas prices and encourage wider adoption.
According to the minister, the state-by-state rollout builds on earlier pilot programmes across the six geopolitical zones and is designed to ensure more households benefit from Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources while supporting the country’s clean energy transition.
Governor Douye Diri, who flagged off the distribution, commended the Federal Government for the initiative, saying it would help tackle environmental pollution, reduce dependence on firewood, and improve the quality of life for residents across the state.
