… confirms safety of SON-approved cylinder weights

Oredola Adeola

The Nigeria Liquefied & Compressed Gases Association (NLCGA) has clarified that while cylinders must not be overfilled, filling them to the prescribed weights set by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is safe.

Femi Fanoiki, Chairman of the Safety and Technical Committee of the NLCGA, addressed this concern raised in a viral social media video regarding the safe filling capacity of LPG cylinders.

In a statement obtained by Advisors Reports, Fanoiki debunked the claims made in the video, describing them as misleading and factually incorrect.

The video in question warned cooking gas users against filling cylinders to the prescribed capacities labelled on the cylinder, suggesting instead that a “12kg” cylinder should not be filled to its full capacity but rather limited to “10kg” or “11kg.”

That message, accompanied by visual examples, has been widely circulated and shared online, raising concerns among LPG users.

Clarifying the issue, Fanoiki explained that the safe filling weight of all LPG cylinders is clearly embossed on the cylinder and is determined by established safety standards that consider the expansion of gas under varying weather conditions.

“The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Standard for cylinders (NIS:69) defines each cylinder category by its volume, also known as water capacity,” Fanoiki stated.

Using the example of a “12.5kg” cylinder, he noted that it has a liquid capacity of approximately 26.5 litres.

“The safe filling weight for this cylinder, calculated based on 85% of its liquid capacity and the specific gravity (SG) of LPG, is approximately 12.95kg, confirming that it can safely hold 12.5kg of LPG,” he said.

Fanoiki further reiterated that the prescribed weights embossed on cylinders adhere strictly to the SON NIS:69 specification for refillable Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders, ensuring user safety and compliance with regulatory standards.

He has therefore urged the public to rely on these verified guidelines and disregard misinformation.