The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, has said that Nigeria’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) consumption has grown to more than 1.6 million metric tonnes annually, underscoring steady expansion in the country’s clean cooking fuel market.
Umar made the disclosure in a message addressed to stakeholders across the LPG value chain, including producers, processors, marketers, distributors, retailers, regulators, investors, development partners and households that rely on LPG for domestic energy use.
He noted that Nigeria’s LPG market has recorded significant growth over the past decade, rising from below 100,000 metric tonnes per year to over 1.6 million metric tonnes currently.
According to him, the expansion reflects coordinated efforts by industry operators, government institutions and consumers who have increasingly adopted LPG as a cleaner and safer cooking alternative.
Despite the progress, Umar said the country still faces a major energy access gap, as more than 100 million Nigerians continue to depend on firewood, charcoal and other biomass fuels for cooking.
He described this reliance as a challenge with health, environmental and economic implications, stressing the need for accelerated transition to cleaner energy sources.
Umar stated that Nigeria’s abundant natural gas reserves place the country in a strong position to expand LPG access nationwide, but emphasized that achieving this requires sustained investment in infrastructure.
He highlighted the need for improved gas processing capacity, expanded storage systems, strengthened transportation networks and wider cylinder distribution channels to ensure reliable supply across all regions.
The NMDPRA chief also pointed to recent supply pressures in parts of the market, noting that such disruptions reinforce the importance of continuous investment, innovation and coordination among stakeholders to strengthen energy security.
He called for deeper collaboration across the value chain to address logistics constraints, improve market transparency and enhance overall product availability.
Umar further identified increased domestic gas production, expanded inland gas processing, improved propane utilization and accelerated development of Nigeria’s gas resources under the Decade of Gas initiative as key pathways for future growth.
He expressed optimism about the long-term prospects of the LPG industry, citing the combined contributions of major players such as Nigeria LNG, Dangote Refinery, indigenous gas processors, marketers and investors in driving market expansion.
According to him, Nigeria has the potential not only to meet rising domestic demand but also to develop one of the most resilient and competitive LPG markets in Africa.
Umar urged stakeholders to intensify efforts toward making clean cooking energy more accessible, affordable and reliable for households nationwide, noting that no family should be left behind in the transition to cleaner fuels.
He reiterated that achieving universal access to clean cooking will require sustained partnership, investment and policy support across the entire LPG value chain.