Buy Safe, Buy Licensed

ERB Warns Public and Cracks Down on Illegal LPG Traders, Sets December 31 Deadline for Compliance

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 

Lusaka, Zambia24, November 5, 2025 — The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has issued a stern warning to individuals and businesses trading in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) without valid licences, giving them until December 31, 2025, to regularize their operations or face prosecution, with violators risking fines of up to K200,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both, as stipulated under Section 10(2) of the Energy Regulation Act No. 12 of 2019.

ERB Manager for Public Relations, Namukolo Kasumpa, expressed deep concern over the increasing number of unlicensed LPG traders. She described the situation as “not only illegal but dangerously irresponsible,” emphasizing that non-compliant traders are endangering not only their own lives but also the safety of consumers and the general public.

Kasumpa noted that the Board has been actively monitoring unlicensed LPG trading despite an earlier warning issued in February this year. 

“It is alarming to see some traders continue to ignore both legal requirements and safety standards,” she said.

She revealed that the ERB, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and local authorities, plans to launch a nationwide inspection campaign early next year to identify and shut down illegal LPG outlets.

 “The safety of our people comes first. We cannot allow shortcuts in an industry that deals with highly flammable products,” Kasumpa emphasized.

Licensed LPG traders are subject to rigorous safety checks and are required to comply with approved safety protocols, which include employing trained LPG attendants, using certified storage cylinders, and following proper handling and distribution procedures. 

Unregulated operations, by contrast, pose serious risks to lives, property, and the wider community.

Kasumpa urged all LPG traders to apply for licences through the ERB online portal at https://portal.erb.org.zm or visit ERB offices in Lusaka, Kitwe, Livingstone, and Kasama before the December 31 deadline. She encouraged traders to see compliance not as a bureaucratic hurdle but as a shared responsibility for ensuring safety and fairness in the energy sector.

 She also warned  Consumers to exercise caution. Kasumpa appealed to the public to purchase LPG products only from ERB-licensed suppliers, stressing that buying from unlicensed dealers not only violates the law but also exposes them to significant safety risks. 

“Licensed traders guarantee quality and accountability,” she said.

The ERB reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives, property, and the integrity of Zambia’s energy market. 

Kasumpa explained that the Board’s enforcement measures are intended not merely as punitive actions but as steps to ensure a safer environment for both traders and consumers.

She encouraged members of the public to report unsafe or illegal LPG operations through ERB offices nationwide, the Toll-Free Line 8484, or the Board’s official social media channels. “Your report could save a life,” Kasumpa concluded.