The government has announced an ambitious plan to connect 10 million households to piped Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) through reticulation by 2028, as part of efforts to expand access to cleaner and more affordable cooking energy.
Principal Secretary for Petroleum Philip Kello Harsama said the government was working with the private sector to roll out the initiative, which is expected to transform access to cooking gas across the country.
Harsama was speaking in Mombasa during the groundbreaking ceremony of a 30,000-metric-tonne LPG storage and handling facility being developed by Asharami Group at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) facility in Changamwe.
The project is expected to strengthen Kenya’s LPG storage and handling capacity, enhance supply chain resilience and improve the reliability of distribution, potentially contributing to lower cooking gas prices.
Speaking during the ceremony, Harsama described the investment as a significant milestone in the development of Kenya’s LPG infrastructure, noting that improved storage and handling facilities were critical to strengthening energy security.
“LPG is central to the Government’s clean cooking agenda. Investments in storage and handling infrastructure are critical to enhancing supply security, improving distribution efficiency and expanding access to affordable and reliable cooking energy for Kenyan households and businesses,” Harsama said.
He said Kenya remained committed to transitioning households from traditional biomass fuels, including firewood and charcoal, to cleaner energy alternatives.
“As a country, we remain committed to transitioning from traditional biomass fuels to cleaner energy solutions. Achieving this ambition requires sustained investment, strong partnerships and a supportive policy environment,” he added.
Managing Director of Asharami Limited, Bayo Shotomi, said the 30,000-metric-tonne facility would provide a major economic boost by accelerating the country’s energy supply chain while creating employment opportunities and stimulating economic activity.
Shotomi said the investment was driven by growing demand for LPG in Kenya and would support the government’s clean energy agenda by making distribution more efficient and affordable, particularly for institutions such as schools and hospitals.
“This is done because of the demand for LPG energy in Kenya. It will ensure lower prices for distribution of clean energy in schools and hospitals and restore forests from firewood cutting,” he said.
He noted that increased access to LPG would help reduce dependence on firewood, contributing to forest conservation while supporting the transition to cleaner cooking solutions.
On his part
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General, Eng. Edward Kinyua, said the multi-billion-shilling investment would stimulate economic growth while addressing the health risks associated with the use of traditional cooking fuels.
Kinyua highlighted the dangers of indoor air pollution, saying the country loses approximately 25,000 lives annually due to the problem.
“We are losing 25,000 lives because of indoor pollution, therefore this is about saving lives,” he said.
He said the project supported the government’s agenda of transitioning households from biomass fuels to LPG, a move expected to improve public health and expand access to cleaner cooking energy.
