ECOWAS supports Benin in the validation of the national policy and strategy for the promotion of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Cotonou

The ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Energy and Mines, in collaboration with Benin’s Ministry of Energy, Water and Mines (MEEM), is organising a national workshop to validate the provisional reports of the study for the development of the Policy and Strategy for the Promotion of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Benin, to be held in Cotonou from the 24^th to 26^th November 2021.

This technical and financial support provided to Benin is part of the implementation of the action plan of the Regional Strategy for the Promotion of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a modern cooking fuel in the ECOWAS region, adopted by the Council of Ministers in September 2020. The strategy aims to make LPG the preferred cooking fuel for households in the region by 2030, with a penetration rate of 45% in households.

On behalf of Mr. José Didier TONATO, Minister of Energy, Water and Mines of Benin, the Secretary General, Mr Kanon Basile ADJO, welcomed the collaboration with ECOWAS, which will provide Benin with a coherent strategic framework to build on achievements and accelerate the adoption of LPG in households, a domestic energy source that is both cleaner and safer than the traditional biomass used in Beninese homes. He emphasised the strategic nature of the study, the conclusions of which are subject to validation, in order to improve the availability and accessibility of domestic gas and promote its use in Benin.

Ambassador Amadou DIONGUE, ECOWAS Resident Representative, recalled that, as part of Vision 2050, ECOWAS is focusing on actions that contribute to improving the living conditions of populations, in particular access to modern energy services, such as electricity and clean cooking energy, which are considered regional priorities. He stressed that the adoption of an LPG policy in Benin will pave the way for a beneficial alternative for households, the majority of which still depend on charcoal and firewood for cooking and heating, with all the harmful consequences that this entails.

The meeting brought together all stakeholders involved in the LPG value chain in Benin, including the Ministries of Energy, Planning, Environment, Trade, Economy and Finance, the Directorate General of Customs, national hydrocarbon companies, private LPG storage and distribution companies, and the oil producers’ group, in order to enable a thorough analysis of the reports and to consider the successful experiences and daily difficulties of the stakeholders.