NALPGAM raises safety alarm as Nigeria targets 5m tonnes LPG consumption

By Onu Okorie

Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has warned that Nigeria’s drive to raise Liquefied Petroleum Gas consumption to about five million tonnes annually by 2030 could face significant safety and operational risks unless expansion is matched by stricter regulatory compliance, trained operators and improved technology.
The association said increasing LPG volumes and expanding access to cooking gas would not be sufficient to guarantee sustainable growth if unsafe practices, poor maintenance and regulatory breaches persisted across the downstream market.
NALPGAM National President, Barrister Edu Inyang, gave the warning following the association’s 2026 webinar themed, “Downstream LPG Operational Excellence and Compliance,” which brought together operators, regulators and other stakeholders to examine safety risks, market volatility, operational losses and regulatory requirements.
Inyang said the expected expansion of Nigeria’s LPG market made it increasingly important for safety to move beyond periodic campaigns and become embedded in the everyday operations of filling plants and other facilities.
“The future of Nigeria’s LPG industry cannot be achieved by increasing volumes alone. We must grow safely, responsibly, efficiently and sustainably. Safety is not an occasional campaign; it must become a continuous industry culture,” he said.
A major outcome of the meeting was the adoption of an aspiration for a “NALPGAM Standard of Operational Excellence,” anchored on four principles: safe and properly maintained facilities, competent and trained operators, compliant processes and protection of consumers.
Stakeholders at the webinar called for stronger preventive maintenance regimes and strict adherence to licensing and incident-reporting requirements.
They also demanded the elimination of unsafe practices, particularly unauthorised propane blending and illegal decanting, warning that such activities could undermine public confidence in LPG at a time the country is seeking to deepen domestic gas utilisation.
According to Inyang, operators should regard regulatory compliance as an investment in the sustainability of their businesses rather than merely an obligation imposed by regulators.
“Compliance is not merely a regulatory burden; it is a business advantage. Well-managed LPG operations reduce accidents, improve efficiency, protect investments and strengthen public confidence in our industry,” he said.
Digitalisation to curb LPG losses
NALPGAM also identified digitalisation as a critical component of efforts to improve accountability and reduce operational losses across the LPG value chain.
The association highlighted smart filling systems, automated tank gauges, load cells, flow meters and vehicle-tracking technology as tools that could help operators monitor products more effectively, curb losses and improve efficiency.
The push comes as Nigeria targets LPG consumption of approximately five million tonnes annually by 2030, requiring significant expansion in infrastructure, distribution networks, cylinders and retail access.
NALPGAM said achieving the target sustainably would require greater participation by industry operators in the Decade of Gas LPG penetration programme, alongside stronger collaboration among government agencies, regulators and private-sector operators.
Stakeholders also called for measures to improve cylinder traceability and encourage certified local manufacturing as LPG penetration expands across the country.
NALPGAM urged regulators and coordinators of government gas programmes to give its members a greater role in the implementation of LPG penetration and cylinder recirculation initiatives, arguing that marketers’ nationwide presence and proximity to consumers could accelerate adoption while strengthening safety oversight.
Inyang said the association wanted operational standards to rise alongside LPG consumption.
“Our aspiration is clear: every LPG facility must be safe and properly maintained, every operator competent and adequately trained, every process compliant, and every customer protected. This is the standard of operational excellence we must collectively pursue,” he said.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to working with government, regulators and other stakeholders to develop a safer, more efficient and competitive domestic LPG market.
It maintained that as Nigeria seeks to expand cooking-gas consumption, safety must become the industry’s culture, compliance its character, technology its catalyst and operational excellence its competitive advantage.