Rwanda could have an operational cooking gas plant within a year, according to the country's Environment Minister Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Mujawamariya said the government was working with private firms to fat-track studies aimed at ensuring the plan is a success.

"Rwanda is open for green investments. Some of the investment opportunities include shifting from biomass energy to clean cooking energy. In one year ahead we expect to have a factory that will be producing cooking gas from methane gas," The New Times quotes her to say.

The availability of the gas plant is expected to decrease the cost of buying cooking gas in the East African country.

The development comes as Rwanda, like many countries globally, has been hit by a price hike in petroleum products, partly due to the conflict in Ukraine.

According to The New Times, the price of LPG rose to Rwf1, 400 ($1.38) per kilogramme in March this year, up from Rwf1,200 ($1.20) in December 2021.

The Rwandan government projects an increase in LPG demand in the future.

Estimates from the Ministry of Infrastructure show that demand for LPG is set to rise to more than 240,000 tonnes by 2024 from 10,000 tonnes in 2017.

($1 = 1,023.79Rwandan franc)