Governor Eno Receives Petroleum Minister Ahead of LPG Gas Programme Launch in Uyo
ISSN: 2354-4481
By Timothy Nwaeme
UYO, Akwa Ibom State — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has received the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, who led a federal government delegation to the state ahead of the pilot activation of the Decade of Gas LPG Penetration Programme.
The courtesy visit took place on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Governor’s Office, Government House, Uyo, ahead of the programme’s official activities, which include the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders to beneficiaries in the state.
The Decade of Gas initiative is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to increase the use of natural gas and LPG, promote cleaner household energy and deepen access to gas-related infrastructure and products across the country.
Governor Eno received the delegation alongside the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Advisor to the Governor, Mr Aniefiok Johnson; Dean of the College of Commissioners, Hon. Frank Archibong; and other members of the State Executive Council.
The Minister’s delegation included his wife, Lady Esitmbom Ekperikpe Ekpo; Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas initiative, Ed Ubong; and representatives of the Federal Ministries of Youth and Women Affairs.
Also in the delegation was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mallam Rabiu Umar Abdullahi, as well as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Felix Omatsila Ogbe, among other officials.
The visit underscores the collaboration between the Federal Government and the Akwa Ibom State Government in advancing initiatives designed to expand access to cleaner and more affordable cooking energy.
The LPG penetration programme is expected to support increased adoption of cooking gas among households while reducing dependence on traditional fuels such as firewood and charcoal. The distribution of LPG cylinders is also expected to help make the transition to cleaner cooking energy more accessible to targeted beneficiaries.
Akwa Ibom, one of Nigeria’s major oil and gas-producing states, has continued to attract federal attention to the development and utilisation of its vast energy resources. The state’s participation in the gas penetration programme is therefore expected to strengthen efforts to translate its position as a major energy-producing state into wider socioeconomic benefits for residents.
The pilot activation in Uyo comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to promote gas as a strategic component of Nigeria’s energy transition and economic development agenda.
Officials involved in the programme are expected to use the pilot phase to strengthen LPG distribution channels, encourage wider household adoption and demonstrate the potential benefits of increased access to cleaner cooking fuel.
The presence of senior federal petroleum officials, alongside the state’s political leadership, also signals the importance attached to the initiative and the need for coordinated action between federal and state authorities.
The programme is expected to further generate public awareness about the benefits of LPG while encouraging households and other users to embrace cleaner energy alternatives.
For Akwa Ibom, the initiative provides another opportunity to deepen its involvement in Nigeria’s evolving gas economy and ensure that residents benefit directly from federal policies aimed at expanding domestic gas utilisation.
has identified natural gas and LPG as important components of Nigeria’s energy development strategy. The Decade of Gas initiative seeks to accelerate gas utilisation, investment and infrastructure development while promoting greater access to gas-based energy solutions.
The LPG penetration component focuses particularly on expanding the use of cooking gas and reducing reliance on more polluting traditional cooking fuels. The cylinder distribution programme is expected to support that objective by improving access among households and communities.
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