The Voice Of Biova Agbokou, Vice President LPG, TotalEnergies
The Voice is delighted to speak with Biova Agbokou from TotalEnergies, as a newly appointed WLGA Board member!
The Voice: What are your hopes and expectations as a newly appointed Board Member of the WLGA?
Biova Agbokou: As a newly appointed Board Member of the WLGA, I recognise the crucial role that Liquid Gas plays in the global energy transition and in reducing carbon emissions by promoting fuels like LPG. There is significant potential for development in the Africa and Asia regions to advance the use of LPG. However, these regions face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of appropriate regulations, and insufficient health, safety, and environmental (HSE) practices and awareness.
My expectation is that the WLGA will engage key stakeholders to advocate for supportive policies and regulations and share best practices. I hope that, as a Board member, I can contribute to these efforts and help make meaningful progress in popularising LPG in these regions, ultimately improving health and quality of life for their populations.
TV: Can you tell us a little about TotalEnergies and the key drivers for the coming years?
BA: TotalEnergies is a global energy leader with a strong commitment to achieving carbon neutrality. We have a significant presence in the LPG market in Africa and have long maintained operations across the continent through various energy activities.
Our driver for the coming years involves leveraging this extensive presence to expand LPG distribution activities throughout Africa. Our goal is to provide clean cooking solutions to millions of people.
TV: What are the primary objectives and driving forces behind TotalEnergies’ operations in its key markets (Africa and Southeast Asia)?
BA: In Africa and Southeast Asia, our primary goal is to provide accessible and affordable clean cooking solutions to millions of people. This initiative aims to significantly improve health outcomes, reduce deforestation, and lower CO2 emissions across the region. Additionally, there is a strong social and cultural context associated with conventional cooking methods. We see an immense opportunity to disseminate the benefits of LPG, helping to transform people’s lives.
Today we are reaching more than 50 million people with clean cooking solutions and our objective is to reach 100 million people by 2030. The driving forces behind this effort are our strong commitment, extensive experience in LPG, deep market knowledge, and the trust we have built with our customer base.
TV: What do you consider to be the main opportunities for these key markets in 2025, and how does TotalEnergies plan to capitalise on them for further expansion?
BA: TotalEnergies identifies significant opportunities in the LPG market in Africa and Southeast Asia for 2025. In Africa, we plan to leverage our strong foothold and extensive presence across the continent to establish comprehensive LPG distribution activities. This initiative will enable us to provide cleaner cooking solutions to millions of households. Additionally, there is a substantial opportunity to enhance the supply chain’s capacity in terms of LPG safety, cylinder handling, and overall industry development.
In Southeast Asia, particularly India, which is one of the largest consumers of LPG in the residential sector globally, we aim to expand our LPG distribution network beyond the southern region where we have been operating for many years. Our commitment to promoting clean cooking will drive us to reach more households, offering them safer and more sustainable cooking options.
TV: Reflecting on your membership with the WLGA, what do you feel are the significant advantages of your membership?
BA: In our rapidly changing and diverse world, the exchange of information and access to a global platform are crucial for a company like ours to continuously learn, adapt, and strive for excellence. The WLGA membership offers us an excellent platform to stay updated with the latest industry practices, news, and innovations. This helps us move forward and stay aligned with industry advancements.
TV: Anything else you may wish to add?
BA: I am excited about the WLGA’s CFLA (Cooking For Life Africa) initiative, which aims to improve the health and lives of millions of people in Africa through the adoption of clean cooking solutions. I look forward to contributing to its success and witnessing the positive impact it will have on communities across the continent.
