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A new phase of collaboration between Nigeria’s local government system and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources was set in motion on Thursday, as the leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) held high-level talks with the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, in Abuja.
The strategic meeting, held at the NNPC Towers, brought together key stakeholders from both institutions, with ALGON National President, Bello Lawal, leading a delegation of top officials to consolidate cooperation on the Federal Government’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Grassroots Penetration Programme.
The ALGON team included the Director General, Barr. Mrs. Evan Enekwe; Chief of Staff, Shehu Jega; and the Financial/Lead Consultant, Senator Dr. Alphonsus Ubanesse Igbeke, alongside other senior figures. Discussions focused on scaling LPG adoption nationwide, particularly at the grassroots level where energy poverty remains most acute.
Speaking during the meeting, Lawal expressed appreciation to the Minister for hosting the delegation and reaffirmed ALGON’s commitment to driving the LPG value chain across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas and Area Councils.
He commended the Ministry for the successful rollout of the grassroots LPG initiative and praised its leadership in advancing clean energy solutions.
The ALGON President outlined the Association’s readiness to mobilise communities for equitable LPG cylinder distribution and to establish monitoring systems to ensure transparency and efficiency in rural deployment.
To strengthen implementation, he proposed the creation of a joint technical committee, enhanced financial and technical support frameworks, a nationwide sensitisation campaign, and the launch of pilot schemes in selected local governments.
Responding, Ekpo welcomed the delegation and lauded ALGON’s leadership for demonstrating strong political will in advancing national development goals through grassroots engagement.
He acknowledged the longstanding partnership between the Ministry and ALGON, particularly through the Technical Working Group chaired by Senator Igbeke, noting that the collaboration has yielded productive outcomes.
The Minister emphasised the strategic role of local governments in attracting lawful incentives and facilitating programme delivery at the community level. He assured that the Ministry would continue to provide support in collaboration with private sector partners, while also calling for the appointment of dedicated desk officers to enhance coordination and ensure prompt feedback.
Highlighting the broader impact of the LPG programme, Ekpo underscored its significance in addressing environmental and public health concerns. He noted that increased LPG adoption would help curb deforestation, reduce reliance on firewood and kerosene, and significantly lower indoor air pollution.
“This meeting is very important and will help reduce deforestation and encourage the utilisation of our natural resources to better the lives of the people,” the Minister said. “Indoor air pollution could be reduced as we transition from firewood and kerosene to LPG. We must not allow poverty to continue causing avoidable health challenges.”
He further described the energy transition initiative as one that directly impacts women, youth, and children, urging ALGON’s leadership to remain steadfast in executing what he described as a largely domestic-focused programme with far-reaching socio-economic benefits.
In a related development, discussions also highlighted the contributions of key members of the Technical Working Group, including Senator Igbeke and Dimeji Lamuren, whose roles in shaping the ALGON gas programme were acknowledged. Lawal reaffirmed that the Association would continue to rely on the existing TWG structure to drive implementation.
Other attendees at the meeting included Dr. Ben Nkechika, ALGON Consultant on Health Matters; Dimeji Lamuren, Deputy Director of Planning, Research and Programmes; Alhaji Lawali Ibrahim, Deputy Director of Human Resources; Gloria Udoh, Secretary; as well as senior directors from the Ministry.
The engagement marks a significant step toward deepening institutional collaboration aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s clean energy transition and expanding access to affordable and sustainable cooking fuel at the grassroots level.
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