The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) and the Decade of Gas Initiative, has launched the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme (NGLPP) in Akwa Ibom State, making the state the second stop in the nationwide state-by-state rollout following the successful launch in Bayelsa State.

The programme advances President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s drive to expand access to clean cooking energy, targeting 5 million Nigerian households by 2030, approximately 1 million households annually.

Welcoming guests, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Mr. Ed Ubong, highlighted Akwa Ibom’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s petroleum industry, noting its significant Oil production and huge natural gas reserves . He commended the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Ph.D., for championing gas development and announced the distribution of 27,000 filled LPG cylinders to women across the state. He explained that the intervention will be rolled out across all 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

Decade of Gas NGLPP Programme Lead, Ramatu Abdullahi, commended the leadership of the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Ph.D., and Coordinating Director, Mr. Ed Ubong. Recalling the earlier regional LPG launch held in Akwa Ibom, she said the current state-by-state phase introduces a more sustainable Depot–Hub–Node cylinder exchange model, with refill points targeted within 1 to 2 kilometres of communities. Beneficiaries will receive up to 6 free refills, supported by a digital platform that tracks cylinders, refills and household adoption.

Representing the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Francis Alabo Ogaree, Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure (HPPITI), commended the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) for his leadership and the Decade of Gas Secretariat for designing the programme around long-term LPG adoption. He highlighted the cylinder recirculation model, 6 refill support and barcode-enabled monitoring as key to the programme’s sustainability. He noted that the target of 1 million households annually and 5 million by 2030 supports Nigeria’s goal of increasing domestic LPG consumption to 5 million metric tonnes annually by 2030, reaffirming NMDPRA’s commitment to a safe, competitive and sustainable LPG market.

Delivering his address, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Ph.D., commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for placing women’s empowerment, grassroots prosperity and domestic gas utilisation at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda. He also acknowledged the leadership of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, and commended the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, for his people-centred approach to peace and development.

The Minister formally launched two interventions: the Akwa Ibom State activation of the Decade of Gas National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, making Akwa Ibom the second state in the nationwide state-by-state rollout after Bayelsa, with 27,000 LPG cylinders earmarked for distribution and beneficiaries to receive up to 6 refills within a year. He also launched the Rural Women Empowerment Initiative for Entrepreneurship Development, under which 3,000 women will each receive ₦100,000, representing ₦300 million in direct support to strengthen businesses, agriculture, household incomes and rural economic activity.

The Minister said NGLPP will extend across the 36 states and the FCT, targeting 1 million households annually, 5 million homes by 2030 and more than 10 million homes by 2060 and called on governments, regulators, industry players, financial institutions, development partners, traditional institutions, communities and the media to collaborate in ensuring its sustainability and nationwide impact. He described the intervention as practical expression of President Tinubu’s vision that Nigeria’s gas resources should deliver tangible benefits through healthier homes, empowered women, job creation, stronger local economies and shared prosperity.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., commended the Federal Government and the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Ph.D., for bringing the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme to Akwa Ibom, describing the intervention as one that goes beyond distributing cylinders to improving lives, protecting the environment and creating economic opportunities for 27,000 households.

He said Akwa Ibom is positioning itself as a destination for gas-based investment and downstream utilisation, highlighting opportunities in LPG bottling plants, cylinder manufacturing and maintenance, gas storage, transportation and logistics, gas processing and other energy infrastructure. The Governor reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for investment, entrepreneurship and grassroots economic growth.

The Representative of the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, Mrs. Leah Tolulope Akinfiresoye, commended the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Ph.D., and the Decade of Gas team for expanding the programme to Akwa Ibom. She highlighted its potential to improve clean energy access, empower women and youths, create green jobs and promote entrepreneurship, while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to collaboration as the programme expands across the 36 states and the FCT.

The event featured the official launch of the Akwa Ibom State activation of the Decade of Gas National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme (NGLPP), including beneficiary sensitisation on LPG safety and the flag-off of LPG cylinder distribution. In addition, the Rural Women Empowerment Initiative for Entrepreneurship Development was launched, providing support to women to strengthen businesses and livelihoods. The event attracted senior government officials, industry stakeholders, traditional rulers, women and youth groups, development partners and beneficiaries from across Akwa Ibom State.

Following the successful launches in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States, the Decade of Gas Initiative will continue the nationwide state-by-state rollout of the National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme, with the next participating state to be announced soon, as the programme advances towards its target of reaching 5 million Nigerian households with clean cooking energy by 2030.