The Federal Government in collaboration with stakeholders in the petroleum industry has commenced drafting of a new policy to phase out kerosene and firewood usage and replaced them with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) otherwise known as cooking gas.
The proposed policy tagged National Strategic Policy for LPG, has a five-year timeline to tactically phase out kerosene usage in the country.
The copy of the draft policy, made available to Daily Trust, proposed the launching of a pilot programme to replace kerosene with LPG for poorer households within defined geographical areas in several representative states.
The project will consists of the provision of free or low cost starter kit of cylinder, basic appliances and fuel, phased reduction in kerosene subsidy and simultaneous reduction in kerosene and increase in LPG supply.
Speaking yesterday at the LPG National Strategy Policy review in Abuja, Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke said with the current LPG national consumption rate of 110,000 metric tonnes per annum, Nigeria is ranked among the lowest consumers of LPG in Africa.
The meeting is expected to re-draft a policy for presentation at the Federal Executive Council early next year.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Amb. Abdulkadir Musa, noted the need to open up LPG market for better energy utilization and economic growth.
In his remark, the President of the Nigeria LPG Association, Auwalu Ilu, supported the policy.
