Ghana is preparing for a major shake-up in the way households access cooking gas, as the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) gears up for a full-scale rollout of the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) in 2026.
The Authority says its board has approved a key cylinder investment margin to support bottling plants, clearing a major hurdle ahead of nationwide implementation.
Speaking at the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship in Accra on Wednesday, February 18, NPA’s Director of Business Development, Godwin Yaw Konu, said the approved margin will compensate bottling plants and accelerate the distribution of cylinders across the country.
According to him, the decision will enable bottling plants to expand operations and inject more cylinders into the system, ensuring consumers can easily exchange empty cylinders for filled ones.
“So soon you should see a lot of rollouts,” Mr Konu said, encouraging households to prepare for the transition once the nationwide exercise begins.
He explained that earlier pilot phases were not marked by major setbacks but served as learning periods for regulators and industry players. Initial trials allowed refilling plants to manage both filling and distribution. A later phase shifted that responsibility directly to bottling plants. Lessons from both models, he noted, helped the Authority fine-tune operational gaps.
With board approval secured, Mr Konu expressed confidence that the NPA is ready to proceed with full implementation in 2026, with final timelines to be aligned with the Gas Directorate.
Ghana’s CRM seeks to improve safety in the handling and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by replacing on-site refilling at retail stations with a cylinder exchange system. Under the model, consumers swap empty cylinders for pre-filled ones at designated outlets, while bottling plants take responsibility for inspecting, maintaining, and safely filling the cylinders.
The reform is aimed at reducing gas-related accidents in residential areas and ensuring that cylinders circulating in the market meet strict safety standards before reaching consumers.
The Africa Extractives Media Fellowship, initiated by Newswire Africa with support from the Australian High Commission and other partners, seeks to equip journalists across the continent with tools for evidence-based reporting on mining, oil, gas, and environmental governance.
By: Christian Kpesese/NR News
