Olumide Adeosun, Managing Director of Eterna Plc, stressed the importance of targeted investments in Nigeria’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector to expand access and promote clean cooking. Speaking at the 2025 NAEC Energy Conference in Lagos, he noted that while compressed natural gas (CNG) receives considerable government attention and funding, LPG consumption has stagnated despite its relevance to health and environmental objectives.
Adeosun highlighted that Nigeria’s LPG consumption has declined over the past five years, and the country is unlikely to meet its target of five million tonnes per annum by 2025. He attributed this shortfall not to insufficient production but to distribution challenges—specifically, the difficulty of delivering gas to the “last mile” where it is needed for cooking and other domestic uses.
To overcome this barrier, Adeosun called for a financing pathway that enables end‑users to afford gas bottles and related equipment. He praised Techno Oil for establishing a plant capable of producing 500,000 bottles per year, but emphasized that more focused investment is required to make gas accessible at the household level. Eterna’s strategy, he explained, is to meet customers where they are—particularly at the retail level—to ensure reliable restocking and support for new users.
Adeosun also urged the government to incentivize the conversion of heavy vehicles and industrial equipment to run on CNG, while later addressing conversion costs for private and local transit vehicles. He advocated for direct government intervention in supplying adoption kits—gas cylinders, stoves, and cookers—to rural and low‑income homes, enabling a shift away from dirtier fuels. Additionally, he recommended policies that make the inclusion of gas reticulation infrastructure mandatory in both new and existing residential estates, thereby creating structured demand for LPG and CNG in homes.
In summary, Nigeria must prioritize targeted LPG investments, develop financing mechanisms for end‑users, incentivize CNG conversions, and intervene in the supply of adoption kits. Addressing these challenges will unlock LPG’s potential, supporting the nation’s energy goals while benefiting the environment, public health, and economic development.
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