Brazil's "People's Gas" Program Reaches 15 Million Cylinder Exchanges, Achieving Nationwide Coverage

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The "People's Gas" program, created by Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), has achieved full nationwide coverage of its eligible target population. This coverage was accomplished by combining direct certification of resale points with alternative service proposals submitted by distributors in cities without certified outlets.

Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira highlighted the program's progress in eliminating energy poverty. Silveira stated that merely creating a social program is insufficient; it must reach those most in need. 100% coverage means no eligible family is excluded, regardless of where they are in Brazil.

Currently, over 26,000 resale points across Brazil have been certified to join the program, covering 4,836 cities, representing 86% of all Brazilian municipalities. These areas concentrate 14.7 million families, encompassing nearly all eligible beneficiaries before the program's expansion. Since its launch, the program has completed approximately 15 million free gas cylinder exchanges.

In the 735 cities without certified resale points, approximately 365,000 families reside, accounting for 2.4% of the target audience. By combining service proposals submitted by distributors with the existing certification system, 100% coverage of the eligible population nationwide was ultimately achieved.

In terms of social impact, the program has yielded significant results. Currently, 14 million female heads of household benefit, representing 93% of all assisted families. By guaranteeing access to cooking gas for millions of Brazilian families, the "People's Gas" program effectively strengthens food security and ensures Brazil remains off the hunger map. This achievement was officially confirmed in 2025 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN).

The "People's Gas" program is considered one of the world's largest energy poverty elimination projects, with its core policy aimed at ensuring access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for low-income families nationwide. This initiative aligns with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 regarding the elimination of energy poverty.