Gas marketers urge FG to increase LPG supply to 500,000

NIGERIAN Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Markets (NALPGAM) has urged the FG to increase the annual domestic supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to marketers by 100 per cent to meet the growing numbers of demands.

The president of NALPGAM, Mr Basil Ogbuanu who made this demand at the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Ibadan, yesterday, said “the Federal Government’s introduction of the NLNG domestic supply scheme has paid off tremendously such that the allocation quota of 250,000 Mt of LPG annually to the Nigerian market is no longer enough to meet local consumption.

According to Ogbuanu , the competitive demands of the LPG in the market has tremendously increased, adding that to be on top of their game, there is need to increase the allocated quota from 250,000 to 500,000 metric tons annually.

“While this increased demand has created better business opportunities not for our members alone, but has also witnessed the influx of new entrants.

However, to stay ahead of competition, members must become more innovative in their business and improve upon customer services quality and relationship if they still want to remain relevant.

He added that the entry of new investors has down played the safety consciousness in the industry as many are rushing to tap into the perceived highly lucrative business without paying attention to safety.

“I wish to implore members not to relent on maintaining high safety standards as stipulated by regulatory agencies as accidents in the industry tend to erode all the gains made in encouraging product consumption and market expansion.”

Speaking on the performance, the president said that the association has been repositioned to its envious status in the industry such that you can only ignore NALPGAM to your detriment.

“We have equally strengthened the image of the association by ensuring that the association ceases to be a tenant in rented apartment through the acquisition of a property that today serves as our National secretariat that also houses a resource centre, the first of its kind by any association in Nigeria.

The president who commended the members of the association for their unflinching support at positioning NALPGAM, also honoured some selected members who have made indelible mark in sustaining with awards of excellence, includes Chief Adewumi Olufemi, Alhaji Auwalu Ilu, Mr Olufemi Onabule Ian Brown among others.