In a significant development, Nigeria’s consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has surged to a remarkable 1 million Metric Tonnes (MT) annually, marking a notable increase from the previous 500,000 MT consumption rate. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) made this revelation in an official statement issued on a Tuesday, and the statement was signed by Abdulkadir Saidu, the Executive Secretary of the agency.
As reported by Premium Times, this milestone made the year 2020 historic in Nigeria as it became the first year in the nation’s history to reach the 1 million MT threshold in LPG consumption. To put this achievement into perspective, in 2019, Nigeria consumed 840,594.37 MT of LPG, demonstrating a substantial increase of 60.5 percent compared to the 635,452.061 MT recorded in 2018.
This remarkable and sustained growth in LPG consumption has positioned Nigeria as a leader in West Africa and one of the prominent nations in Africa in terms of LPG consumption. Furthermore, this accomplishment aligns with the goals set out in the Nigeria Gas Policy (NGP) of 2017, which aims to achieve a consumption target of 5 million MT by 2022. To achieve this target, it is imperative to maintain the current pace of 1 million metric tonnes of LPG consumption annually through collaborative efforts and government initiatives.
The PPPRA underscores that the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting LPG use in the country aims to enhance the well-being of Nigerians by offering access to a cleaner and healthier source of energy for cooking, transportation, and various domestic purposes. This shift away from traditional fuels such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) is expected to contribute significantly to diversifying the nation’s energy sources and utilizing locally available options.
In the words of Mr. Abdulkadir Saidu, “The achievement of the one million MT domestic utilization milestone is a testament to the progress made in ensuring the availability of alternative fuel sources for Nigerians, reducing reliance on traditional fuels.” This accomplishment signifies a significant step forward in Nigeria’s energy landscape and sets the stage for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
