Nigerians across major cities are facing fresh economic pressure as the price of cooking gas continues to surge, with rates hitting as high as N2,000 per kilogramme in parts of Lagos, Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, amid worsening supply shortages in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market.
Findings on Monday revealed that cooking gas prices now range between N1,400 and N2,000 per kg in several parts of the country, sparking concerns among households, food vendors, restaurant operators and small business owners already struggling with inflation and rising living costs.
In Lagos State, residents in Ikorodu lamented that cooking gas now sells for N1,800 per kg, compared to about N1,300 barely one month ago. Around Afeeze Bus Stop in Ogba, the price climbed sharply to N2,000 per kg from N1,500 within three weeks, worsening fears of a prolonged energy crisis.
In Akoka, Yaba, residents purchased gas at N1,500 per kg, while consumers in Ojota reported prices of about N1,400 per kg.
The situation was not different in Ogun State, particularly around the RCCG camp area in Mowe, where residents also paid as high as N2,000 per kg. In Owerri, Imo State, the product sold for approximately N1,500 per kg.
In the FCT, Abuja, residents in Lugbe reported buying cooking gas at N1,480 per kg, while consumers in Lokogoma said they paid as much as N1,600 per kg.
The worsening price hike has intensified hardship for millions of Nigerians who depend on LPG as a cleaner alternative to kerosene and firewood.
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) blamed the development on supply shortages, high depot prices and increasing logistics costs affecting the downstream sector.
In a joint statement signed by the association’s President, Edu Inyang, and Executive Secretary, Bassey Effiong, the marketers disclosed that the average nationwide price of cooking gas has now exceeded N1,500 per kg.
According to the association, the rising cost and unstable supply chain have imposed severe hardship on households, roadside food vendors, restaurants and low-income earners who rely on cooking gas for daily survival.
NALPGAM further revealed that operators currently purchase a 20-metric-tonne truck of LPG for between N25.2 million and N26.2 million depending on the location, a development they say continues to push retail prices beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
The association warned that if urgent intervention is not carried out, the situation could worsen inflation, force businesses to shut down and trigger massive job losses across the country.
“We cannot stand by and watch millions of Nigerian families suffer in silence while access to clean cooking energy becomes increasingly unaffordable,” the association stated.
NALPGAM called on the federal government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the NNPC Limited to urgently intervene by improving domestic allocation, stabilising supply and strengthening distribution systems nationwide.