The Department of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria (DPR) has rolled out new guidelines for the accommodation of more Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) investors and operators across the country.

The Department said this is to ensure the availability of “cooking gas” in Nigeria and meet the country’s target of Five Million Metric Tonnes (5,000,000 MT) of domestic, commercial and industrial LPG utilisation in the next ten (10) years.

The approval was disclosed by the Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Ayorinde Cardoso, while he spoke with newsmen during a public sensitisation exercise on safe usage of LPG. He said that the National Gas Expansion Programme is to make gas accessible and affordable to Nigerians.

He also spoke on the shutting down of 85 LPG plants in the last ten (10) months, from January to October, across Lagos state. He said that the plants were shut down for not complying with international safety standards and operating without approval or licence from the DPR.

He said, “We have a lot of people coming into the sector to invest and DPR is on ground to ensure that they follow the regulatory requirements.”

“We have brought out new guidelines to encourage investors and anybody that wants to operate in the sector should follow the guidelines.”

“DPR is also collaborating with the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders to improve safety in gas storage, sales and distribution.”

“The move is to curb the occurrence of gas explosion and fire incidents in the state. We will continue to clamp down such illegal plants while at the same time sensitising the public on the need for safe usage and distribution of gas.”

“We are doing this sensitisation to tell the public that it is safe to use gas.”

“We want to bring gas sector to the citizens and deepen utilisation of LPG for job creation and national development which is the aspiration of the Federal Government.”

“We will be doing this exercise continuously in various parts of the state.”