Nigeria's liquefied petroleum gas marketers have called for a shift in how the sector approaches expansion, emphasising that growth must be built on safety, regulatory compliance and technology rather than volume increases alone. The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) made the case at its 2026 webinar, which gathered industry operators, regulators and other stakeholders to tackle safety risks, market volatility, operational losses and regulatory compliance challenges.
Edu Inyang, National President of NALPGAM, said the industry must move away from a narrow focus on production numbers. "The future of Nigeria's LPG industry cannot be achieved by increasing volumes alone. We must grow safely, responsibly, efficiently and sustainably. Safety is not an occasional campaign; it must become a continuous industry culture," he stated. The webinar adopted a framework called the "NALPGAM Standard of Operational Excellence," built on four pillars: safe and well-maintained facilities, competent and trained operators, compliant processes, and customer protection.
Industry participants urged operators to embed safety into daily operations, strengthen preventive maintenance, comply with licensing and incident-reporting requirements, and eliminate unsafe practices such as unauthorised propane blending and illegal decanting. Inyang argued that compliance delivers business benefits beyond regulatory requirements. "Compliance is not merely a regulatory burden; it is a business advantage. Well-managed LPG operations reduce accidents, improve efficiency, protect investments and strengthen public confidence in our industry," he said.
The webinar highlighted digital technologies as practical solutions to operational challenges. Smart filling systems, automated tank gauges, load cells, flow meters and vehicle tracking systems were identified as tools to reduce product losses, improve accountability and strengthen operational efficiency across the sector. For savers, borrowers, business owners and investors in Nigeria, this shift towards safer and more compliant operations could reduce operational disruptions and strengthen confidence in the LPG sector as a reliable energy source.