SON unveils cylinder tracking to boost LPG safety

The Director-General of SON, Ifeanyi Okeke

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has launched a national cylinder recirculation programme to improve liquefied petroleum gas safety, track cylinder movements and promote cleaner household cooking.

The National Cylinder Recirculation Programme, unveiled at SON’s operational headquarters in Lagos on Friday, will use digital identification to monitor gas cylinders, identify expired or damaged equipment and strengthen compliance with safety standards across the LPG supply chain.

The initiative brings together the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the National Council on Climate Change, relevant federal ministries and industry stakeholders.

The SON’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said the programme would improve cylinder quality control and protect consumers from unsafe gas equipment.

“Safe and reliable LPG use depends on more than access to gas. It requires strict adherence to cylinder quality standards, responsible handling, and effective lifecycle tracking across the supply chain,” Okeke said.

He added that the programme would combine statutory quality control with digital traceability to protect lives and property while strengthening public confidence in clean energy.

The programme will operate through the National Cylinder Registry, powered by FuelTree’s virtual Cylinder Recirculation Management System. The platform will assign unique identities to cylinders and use smart QR tags to record their movements and lifecycle events.

These records will cover distribution, refills, exchanges, inspections and requalification, enabling regulators, marketers, retailers and approved facilities to verify cylinder status and monitor compliance.

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FuelTree Director and Chief Technology Officer, Femi Oye, said the digital system would provide real-time information on cylinder movements and safety requirements.

“The National Cylinder Registry connects unique cylinder identity tags with real-time lifecycle tracking. This digital infrastructure enables seamless monitoring of requalification cycles, inspection records, and carbon credit metrics as cylinders move through the supply chain,” Oye said.

Beyond safety, the programme seeks to support Nigeria’s transition to cleaner cooking by encouraging households to switch from traditional fuels, including firewood, charcoal and kerosene, to LPG.

It will also establish a data framework for generating carbon credits from verified reductions in the use of traditional cooking fuels. However, the proposed credits will depend on approved methodologies, independent verification and compliance with applicable regulations.

Revenue from the mechanism could help expand access to gas cylinders and lower refill costs for vulnerable households, depending on the programme’s financing arrangements.

The Lead Programme Director of the NCRP Secretariat, Dr Bekeme Olowola, said coordination among regulators and industry operators would determine the programme’s effectiveness.

“Translating the NCRP’s vision into practical outcomes requires seamless coordination across regulators, marketers, retailers, and requalification facilities,” Olowola said.

She added that linking safety compliance with environmental impact would create a framework that supports domestic safety and international climate credibility.