The Federal Government has suspend- ed the export of cooking gas in an apparent strategy to increase the volume of supply, halt scarcity and high cost of gas in Nigeria. Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of an “Internal Stakeholders’ workshop,” in Abuja yesterday.

The theme of the workshop was: “Harnessing Nigeria’s Proven Gas Reserves for Economic Growth and Development.” According to him, once there is a stoppage of the export of locally produced domestic gas, there will be more volume for the domes- tic market, which will automatically reduce the price of the product.

He stated that to control the rising cost of domestic gas, the ministry constantly discussed with critical stakeholders like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and operators such as Mobil, Chevron, and Shell to ad- dress the issue.

The minister said: “We are interacting with critical stakeholders to ensure that there is no exportation of LPG. “All LPG produced within the country will have to be domesticated. And when this is done, the volume will increase and of course, the price will automatically crash.

“With the issue of gas, you have seen the demonstration of the Federal Government by withdrawing all taxes and levies from the importation of gas-related equipment. It is a big incentive. “On the issue of LPG (cooking gas), we are interacting with the critical sectors to ensure that there is no exportation of LPG.

All LPG produced within the country will have to be domesticated. And when this is done, the volume will in- crease and, of course, the price will automatically crash. “I’m in contact with the regulator, NMDPRA, we have meetings almost daily with the producers of the gas like Mobil, Chevron and Shell. So there is that hope that things will turn around.”