Nigerian households, gas marketers, retailers, and industry stakeholders, including the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, (NALPGAM), are dealing with a sharp increase in the retail price of cooking gas (LPG) across major cities, such as Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun State.
The surge follows supply disruptions caused by industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and other distribution constraints, which have prompted dealers to raise prices along the supply chain.
As of this week, the cost of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas has reportedly risen to ₦21,600, up from about ₦14,400 just the previous week. In Lagos, prices now range between ₦1,600 and ₦1,800 per kilogramme, depending on the distributor or retailer.
Before the recent spike, cooking gas sold for significantly less. Marketers noted that LPG was previously available for below ₦1,000 per kilogramme, while some retailers charged between ₦1,200 and ₦1,300, depending on location.
According to reports, NALPGAM President Oladapo Olatunbosun said, “At the moment, I can tell you authoritatively that most of our LPG supply is produced locally. Importation is minimal. In fact, if you import now, you might incur losses because local supply has increased significantly”.
On social media, citizens have shared scenes of long queues at gas plants. A Twitter user, @ifesalakoofice, posted a video on Monday morning showing dozens of people waiting to refill their cylinders.
Many Nigerians hope the situation will be resolved soon so that daily household activities can return to normal.
