Ghana’s government plans to eventually ban the importation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders as part of efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing and expand the country’s LPG industry, Energy and Green Transition Minister, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor told Parliament.
Speaking during a parliamentary session in Accra, Hon. Jinapor said the proposed policy would require companies operating in the LPG sector to source all cylinders and related equipment from local manufacturers once it takes effect.
The move is tied to government efforts to revive the struggling Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited (GCMC), which authorities consider a key component of the country’s LPG distribution system.
Hon. Jinapor said the government, working with the National Petroleum Authority and the Ghana National Gas Company, had mobilised about $6 million toward the estimated $8 million needed to refurbish and modernise the factory.
He told lawmakers that ongoing retooling efforts were already producing results, with production levels in 2026 doubling compared with output recorded in 2024.
The minister added that the government had introduced off-taker agreements and established an escrow arrangement to ensure stable demand for cylinders produced by the company.
As part of the broader Cylinder Recirculation Model, Hon. Jinapor also directed that obsolete LPG cylinders across the country be recalled and refurbished by the revitalised factory.
Under the plan, Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) has signed an agreement to purchase cylinders manufactured by GCMC, helping to support the company’s recovery.
Lawmakers backing the proposal say strengthening the local cylinder industry could create jobs, expand LPG access and reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported equipment.
Officials also argue that increasing LPG usage will help reduce reliance on charcoal and firewood, improve indoor air quality and support Ghana’s target of achieving 50% LPG penetration by 2030.