‘Nigeria Can Save $10.4bn From Use Of LPG’

The Nigerian LPG (NLPGA) says Nigeria will save about 10.38 billion dollars annually if 50 per cent of its population can use cooking gas by 2018.
Its President, Mr Dayo Adeshina, said in a statement in Lagos that it was regrettable that Nigerians still consumed kerosene in large quantities.
According to the association, cleaner fuels like cooking gas can save over 55 per cent of Nigeria’s primary forest.
He said that the association’s annual conference, slated for December 2 in Lagos, would address ways government could support the use of cooking gas in rural communities.
“Between 500,000 and one million jobs can be created in the LPG value chain in the next two years if the kerosene to LPG switch programme is implemented nationwide”.
Adeshina said that over 400,000 lives would be saved from pollution related health issues through LPG promotion in Nigeria.
“This will ensure reduction in deforestation, carbon emission into the atmosphere and increased tax revenue for government at various levels,’’ he said.
Adeshina said that the Federal government could claim carbon credits if the fuel switching programme could be implemented on a massive scale nationwide.
He said that the power penetration sector could also take advantage of LPG fired generators and turbines.
Adeshina said that the LPG sector in Nigeria was still being challenged by factors such as massive inadequate supply of cooking gas equipment, insufficient number of jetties and few LPG inland storage facilities.
These, he said, had stunted consumption of cooking gas in the country.
Adeshina said the sector was affected by increase in price of LPG due to logistic issues, excessive import duties and VAT on LPG equipment.
“Inadequate road and transport network facilities and cumbersome access to long-term funds for LPG projects also affect the sector.
“There is no major policy that encourages widely promoted green projects (e.g. auto gas, power generation, etc) using LPG in order to stimulate rapid growth of the industry,” he said.
Adeshina advocated for a national policy on LPG and more efforts by government to promote consumption of cooking gas in the country.
He said that the 2015 conference, with the theme, “LPG: The Future is Now’, would be used to draw government and other stakeholders’ attention to the prospect of LPG sector and the need to adequately tap same.
“The availability of energy and power is very crucial to the growth of Nigeria’s economy and features of LPG make it the energy of choice for the present and the future.
“The Nigerian LPG industry has so much potential and the conference will focus on embracing LPG as the answer to energy poverty, environmental degradation and health issues amongst many other issues affecting Nigeria.