Kenya is committed to fostering a thriving and investor-friendly environment in which the private sector is encouraged and empowered to flourish. This strategic pledge, aimed at unlocking the full potential of private enterprise, is seen as a key catalyst for job creation, especially for the nation’s growing youth population.

Speaking during his official Lake Gas Site Visit, Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi noted that this is a national effort to accelerate the uptake of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a cleaner, safer and more affordable cooking fuel for households across the country.

By enabling private players to scale innovation, distribution networks and infrastructure, the government aims to reduce dependence on traditional fuels but also to stimulate job creation, LPG supply chains, and related industries.

“We are here to do a site visit to assess this LPG facility’s preparedness for the arrival of the first vessel carrying LPG gas. We have said and want to reiterate that as a government, we are committed to providing an enabling environment for the private sector to invest their money and for them to create employment opportunities for our young people.

“I must commend the leadership of Lake Gas for this wonderful initiative. And for taking their time to invest in this facility, which, so far, I’m told, has cost about $80 million, and that’s not small money,” Wandayi said.

The facility has already entered its second phase of development, which involves the construction of an additional 15,000 metric tonnes of LPG storage capacity. This comes on top of the existing 10,000 metric tonnes, bringing the total storage capacity to 25,000 metric tonnes upon completion.

This significant expansion marks a major step toward strengthening the country’s energy infrastructure and will play a critical role in ensuring a stable, reliable supply of LPG to households and businesses nationwide.

The CS noted that this will automatically translate to the reduction of the ultimate cost of the product to wananchi (citizens).

If we open up this space to more people to bring in LPG and for more volumes to flow in, ultimately, the forces of demand and supply will set in, and the price will reach its level, where it should be. And that’s what we need,” he said.

“We commend the management of Lake Gas and we commit to continuing to support them in any way possible. I must also thank the county government of Kilifi under the leadership of his excellency, Gideon Mung’aro, for also providing the necessary support for the private sector to establish businesses in this county,” he added.

The minister also revealed that the first vessel will be arriving in two weeks, which would mark the opening of this facility, noting that anything else would be ceremonial and that is left to the management to determine.

Principal Secretary for Petroleum Mohamed Liban emphasised the need for collective effort among the sector’s stakeholders to achieve meaningful and sustainable progress in expanding LPG access across the country.

“By bringing all stakeholders on board, both local and international, we can consolidate our efforts and move forward together to establish a common user facility that empowers local capacity,” he said.

He added that this is one of the key areas of collaboration that the cabinet secretary has emphasised as they work collectively to accelerate the implementation of the LPG growth strategy across the country.

“It is only through such partnerships that we can achieve lasting impact and ensure that no one is left behind in our journey toward clean and affordable energy access,” Liban noted.

Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro emphasised the county’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for investment, while urging the investors to operate within the confines of the law and to prioritize employment opportunities for local youth. Mung’aro further encouraged companies like Lake Gas to consider training local youth where specific technical skills may be lacking.

“Our young people are intelligent and capable; they can be trained and quickly adapt to industry demands,” he added.

Manager of Supply and Operations at Lake Gas Moris Mutiso said that they are committed to empowering the local community.

“We have already put in place mechanisms to ensure that at least 70 per cent of the workforce operating at this facility will be recruited from Kilifi County,” he emphasized.

He said that the project is expected to create between 50 to 60 permanent jobs within the facility. However, beyond these direct employment opportunities, the project will unlock even greater business potential.

He explained that the regular movement of trucks transporting LPG will generate numerous indirect jobs in areas such as transport, logistics, and support services. In total, he estimated that over 1,000 indirect employment opportunities will be created as a result of the project.

This project is not only a milestone for Lake Gas but also a major contributor to the economic growth and revenue base of Kilifi County.” Mutiso concluded.

• Tell Media / KNA report / By Fatma Said