The Ministry of Energy & Petroleum has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the local manufacturing of subsidised 6kg LPG cylinders under a cost-sharing model where the Government will cover 40 per cent of the cost, LPG marketing firms 40 per cent, and consumers 20 per cent.
According to the State Department for Petroleum, the programme seeks to distribute cylinders across all 47 counties, with a preference for rural and peri-urban areas where LPG penetration remains low.
“The LPG cylinders shall be manufactured locally and distributed using frameworks aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” the Ministry noted in its announcement.
Under the plan, the Government of Kenya will provide partial funding for the cost of the manufactured cylinders, seed gas, and accessories.
LPG marketing companies will be designated brand owners responsible for refilling and maintaining the cylinders in line with the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Regulations, 2025.
In addition, the marketing companies will supply seed gas and accessories, including burners and grills, to ensure households can immediately make use of the cylinders once distributed. The consumer’s contribution will be treated as a deposit, further lowering barriers to clean energy access.
To strengthen accountability, the cylinders distributed under the programme will be fitted with track-and-trace technology under the direction of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
This is expected to enhance safety, monitoring, and compliance in the use and refilling of the subsidised cylinders.
The Ministry stated that only prequalified LPG cylinder manufacturers will be allowed to participate. “GoK shall prequalify the LPG cylinder manufacturers and share with the successful bidders,” the notice read, stressing the need for firms with proven capacity and resources.
Interested and eligible firms will be required to demonstrate qualifications, technical capability, experience, and facilities to undertake the project.
Free gas cylinders from the government have long remained a pipe dream for many Kenyans, particularly those in the middle and lower-income brackets, who have eagerly awaited the fulfillment of President William Ruto’s 2022 campaign pledge.
In 2023, the President went further, promising that by June that year, gas cylinders would retail at between Ksh300 and Ksh500, a commitment that is yet to be realised.
