Kenya targets 10 million households for LPG access by 2028

Kenya plans to expand access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to 10 million households by 2028, with the government turning to private investors to increase storage, imports and distribution capacity.

Petroleum Principal Secretary Kello Harsama announced the target on November 11 during the groundbreaking of a new 30,000-metric-tonne LPG terminal at the former Kenya Petroleum Refineries site in Changamwe, Mombasa.

The facility is being developed by Asharami Synergy Kenya Limited and is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.

Why Kenya wants more households using gas

Millions of Kenyan families still depend on traditional cooking fuels, particularly firewood and charcoal.

The government's 2024–2028 National Cooking Transition Strategy estimates that approximately 9.1 million households relied primarily on traditional cooking fuels based on 2022 data.

Of these, 7.4 million were in rural areas and 1.7 million in urban areas.

Firewood remains widely used in rural households, where access to affordable LPG, reliable distribution networks and the equipment needed to use gas can be limited.

The government's clean-cooking programme aims to increase access to modern fuels while reducing household exposure to smoke associated with traditional cooking methods.

Public institutions are also part of the transition.

The government estimates that approximately 11,000 public schools still rely on firewood for cooking.

What the new Mombasa terminal will do

LPG consumed in Kenya is largely imported from international markets.

It arrives through Mombasa and must be received, stored, handled and transported before reaching distributors, retailers, businesses and households.

The proposed Changamwe terminal will add 30,000 metric tonnes of bulk storage capacity to this supply chain.

Such facilities allow importers and distributors to hold larger volumes of cooking gas, manage supply interruptions and organise deliveries to the domestic market.

The project forms part of a wider investment drive involving several companies.

Other developments include AGOL's 25,000-tonne terminal, a 30,000-tonne facility being developed by Taifa Gas at Dongo Kundu, and Lake Gas's completed 10,000-tonne terminal in Kilifi County.

The Kenya Pipeline Company is also developing LPG import, storage and handling infrastructure at the former refinery site.

These investments are intended to strengthen the country's ability to receive and distribute larger quantities of imported cooking gas.

Does the plan mean households will get piped gas?

The 10-million-household target concerns access to LPG, not a nationwide network of household gas pipelines.

Most Kenyan households use LPG supplied in refillable cylinders.

Gas is distributed through licensed marketers and retailers, with customers purchasing cylinders, regulators, burners and refills.

The new terminal is bulk import and storage infrastructure.

It is not a residential pipeline connection project.

Increasing storage capacity can improve the reliability of supply, but household access also depends on the availability of cylinders, affordable refills, retail outlets and transport networks.

Will cooking gas become cheaper?

The expansion could help reduce supply bottlenecks and encourage competition among importers and distributors.

However, additional storage capacity does not automatically translate into lower retail prices.

LPG prices are influenced by international purchase costs, shipping, exchange rates, handling, transport, taxes and distribution margins.

For many rural households, the initial cost of purchasing a cylinder and cooking appliance is also a barrier.

The National Cooking Transition Strategy identifies affordability and limited fuel distribution networks among the obstacles slowing adoption.

The strategy also recognises that many families use several cooking fuels rather than abandoning firewood or charcoal immediately.

A household may use LPG for quick meals while continuing to rely on firewood for larger or longer cooking tasks.