Kenya targets 10 million households for piped LPG connections by 2028

The government has set a target of connecting 10 million Kenyan households to piped Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by 2028 as it seeks to expand access to clean cooking energy and reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal.

Petroleum Principal Secretary Kello Harsama said the government was working with private-sector players to accelerate the rollout of LPG reticulation systems across the country.

Harsama spoke in Mombasa during the groundbreaking ceremony for a 30,000-metric-tonne LPG storage terminal being developed by Nigerian firm Asharami Synergy at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) facility in Changamwe.

The terminal is expected to increase Kenya’s LPG storage capacity, improve supply reliability and strengthen competition in the sector as demand for cleaner cooking fuels grows.

It will also provide additional bulk storage infrastructure for LPG companies and other players in the supply chain, supporting the distribution of gas across the country.

Harsama urged LPG suppliers to partner with institutions, including schools, hospitals and prisons, to expand access to gas and accelerate the shift away from traditional cooking fuels.

“The State Department for Petroleum has designed a programme called the National LPG Growth Strategy, and we are on the right track as a government to implement this strategy to ensure every Kenyan has access to clean cooking gas energy,” he said.

The PS said about 70 per cent of Kenyan households still relied on firewood and charcoal, while 30 per cent used clean cooking gas.

He said wider access to LPG, particularly in institutions, would help address health and environmental challenges associated with prolonged exposure to smoke from traditional cooking fuels.

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Harsama added that the terminal would create employment opportunities for local residents during construction and after it becomes operational.

Asharami Synergy Kenya Director Adebayo “Bayo” Sotomi said the facility would support the National LPG Growth Strategy, which aims to increase LPG penetration from the current 15 per cent to 70 per cent.

Construction of the terminal is expected to take 18 months.

The government expects the additional storage capacity and improved supply infrastructure to enhance LPG availability, stabilise supplies and contribute to lower prices for consumers.

The investment comes as Kenya steps up efforts to expand access to cleaner cooking solutions, particularly among households and institutions that continue to depend on firewood and charcoal.