By Ediri EJOH

Nigeria’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG,  consumption is set to hit 500,000 metric tones by year end. This would be a record of about 42.9 per cent rise in market size against 350,000MT recorded last year.

Already industry operators are indicating that current volume is about 400,000MT.

Even at current huge jump in volume President of Nigerian Association of LPG marketers, NALPGAM, Mr. Basil Ogbuanu, expects current population to consume an average of one million metric tones per annum.

Gas

Speaking at a panelist section, at the just concluded Oil Trading and Logistics, OTL,  conference, 2016, he called for more investment in the LPG market to grow current consumption level.

According to him, “We have every cause to celebrate the current position of consumption of the LPG at an average of 400,000 which will increase by the end of the year coupled with current increase of 400 gas plants recorded in the country.

“ However, the growth is a millipede one as we consumed a paltry 20 percent which is compared to the market demand of 1 million expected to satisfy the population. Going by this statistics, you can say we are yet at where we should be.

“We believe there is need for more sensitization of the importance and relevance of the usage of LPG, which is a factor for the pursuit of a cleaner energy that is also affordable in such a time as this where it is expedient for one to minimize expenses.”

He lamented the great danger ahead in usage of gas cylinders in the country which, according to him, are largely expired.

He, however, called on the regulatory authority, which includes Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, to rid the country of its flooded expired cylinders, saying that about 90 percent of gas cylinders sold in today’s market are expired, a situation which puts its citizens at great risk.

He called on the Federal Government to put a stop to the import of gas as the country is said to have a vast gas reserves at its disposal.

He stated: “It is a pity that we don’t have a clear road-map for the gas industry, otherwise, many excesses would have been corrected like the importation of gas into a country that has a vast gas reserve.”

Speaking also, AGM, Corporate Services and Strategy, Techno oil Limited, Ken Abazie, called for a policy in the gas market. He said, “ Clearly, the LPG market is that which has no clear driving government policies.

“There is an urgent need for an LPG road-map in Nigeria that would drive development and growth in the market, otherwise, there would be limitations to the attainment of the desired position that should be seen,” he noted.