FG rolls out national cylinder recirculation programme to boost LPG safety, economic growth

By Henry Uche

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and industry stakeholders, has launched the National Cylinder Recirculation Programme (NCRP), a nationwide initiative designed to transform the safety, identification, management and recirculation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders.

The landmark initiative integrates cylinder safety, digital traceability, domestic gas utilisation, industrial development and climate finance opportunities to support Nigeria’s domestic gas expansion, industrialisation and clean energy transition objectives.

At a press conference held at SON’s operational headquarters in Lagos, the programme introduces a coordinated framework for cylinder registration, inspection, requalification, digital tracking and safe recirculation, addressing longstanding safety concerns arising from expired, damaged, uncertified and improperly maintained cylinders.

Beyond consumer safety, the NCRP provides a strategic platform for advancing the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas agenda and wider economic development priorities.

By strengthening the infrastructure required for safe LPG adoption, the programme is expected to stimulate domestic cylinder manufacturing, expand requalification capacity, attract private investment, create employment opportunities and support enterprise development across the gas distribution value chain.

Speaking on the initiative, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SON, stated: “Safe and reliable LPG use depends on more than access to gas. It requires strict adherence to cylinder quality standards, responsible handling and effective lifecycle tracking across the supply chain. Through the NCRP, we are unifying statutory quality control with digital traceability to protect Nigerian lives and property while building consumer trust in clean energy.”

At the heart of the programme is the National Cylinder Registry, which assigns unique digital identities to cylinders and enables the tracking of key lifecycle activities, including registration, inspection, requalification, filling, distribution and exchange.

Under the recirculation framework, existing cylinders entering the system undergo assessment at Authorised Requalification Facilities (ARFs). Cylinders that meet the prescribed safety standards are approved for continued circulation, while those that fail the required checks are withheld for appropriate corrective action or disposal.

Participating consumers will be able to exchange existing cylinders through approved retailers, with collected cylinders transferred for inspection and requalification. This approach is intended to progressively replace unsafe cylinders in circulation while making access to compliant cylinders more convenient.

The NCRP aligns with the Federal Government’s ambition to deepen domestic gas utilisation, strengthen local manufacturing, encourage private-sector participation and expand access to cleaner household cooking.

By creating demand for compliant cylinders, inspection services, requalification facilities, logistics and distribution infrastructure, the initiative is positioned to open new opportunities for Nigerian businesses, investors and skilled workers.

Dr Bekeme Olowola, Lead Programme Director of the NCRP Secretariat and Managing Director of FuelTree, emphasised the programme’s wider national significance. “The NCRP is about much more than putting QR codes on gas cylinders. We are building a national system that makes cylinder safety verifiable, supports the expansion of domestic LPG consumption and creates new opportunities for investment, enterprise development and job creation.”

“By connecting regulators, manufacturers, marketers, retailers and requalification facilities through a common digital infrastructure, we are turning the Federal Government’s gas expansion and clean cooking ambitions into a practical, measurable programme that can also attract international climate finance.”

The programme also supports Nigeria’s climate commitments by facilitating the transition from traditional cooking fuels, including firewood, charcoal and kerosene, towards cleaner household energy alternatives. Wider LPG adoption can contribute to reducing household exposure to harmful smoke, pressure on forest resources and certain emissions associated with traditional cooking practices.

Importantly, the digital infrastructure will support the collection of information required to measure and verify eligible environmental benefits. Subject to applicable carbon market methodologies, independent verification and regulatory approvals, the programme could generate carbon credits and attract climate finance to subsidise cylinder access, improve affordability for vulnerable households and accelerate clean cooking adoption.

This approach connects Nigeria’s energy transition objectives with a potentially sustainable financing mechanism for expanding household energy access.

The programme is engaging LPG marketers, cylinder manufacturers, retailers, filling plants, requalification facilities, technology providers and distribution operators to establish an integrated national recirculation system.

Better Gas is among the already participating commercial operators, bringing experience in cylinder exchange and last-mile distribution through its micro-distribution network.

Bolaji Orofinlu, General Manager of Better Gas, noted: “Ensuring last-mile access requires reliable supply logistics and strong retail partnerships. Better Gas is already aligned with the objectives of the NCRP through our cylinder-swapping model and micro-distribution centres across Abuja.”

“The programme also presents an opportunity to support cylinder requalification and expand the availability of safe cylinders in the market.”

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has similarly emphasised the urgent need to remove obsolete cylinders from circulation, highlighting the importance of industry-wide collaboration in strengthening safety standards.

Mr Bassey Essien, Executive Secretary of NALPGAM, highlighted the need to remove expired cylinders from circulation, noting: “There are many types of cylinders in circulation, and to be frank, some are long overdue for withdrawal. I still have a cylinder in my secretariat that is 60 years old, which I have kept as a specimen. Cylinders have a lifespan, and once they exceed it, they should be removed from circulation.”

The NCRP’s regulatory and policy framework draws on the SON Act No. 14 of 2015 and relevant government directives concerning cylinder safety, quality assurance and traceability.

Its implementation also supports policy objectives associated with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the Decade of Gas Secretariat.

Following the conference, the NCRP will proceed with stakeholder onboarding, digital registry integration and phased implementation activities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The programme’s national unveiling is scheduled for 28–29 October 2026 in Abuja, alongside the Nigeria Clean Cooking Forum 2026, providing an opportunity to deepen engagement with policymakers, industry operators and prospective implementation partners.

An international presentation is also planned during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), taking place from 9–20 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, in the Nigerian Pavilion of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC).

This will provide a platform to showcase Nigeria’s approach to digitally enabled cylinder recirculation, clean cooking expansion and the potential mobilisation of international climate finance.

Through the NCRP, Nigeria seeks to demonstrate how stronger safety governance, technology, private-sector participation and climate-conscious investment can work in synergy to create a safer, more inclusive and economically productive domestic gas industry.

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