The price of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has skyrocketed to ₦25,000 this week — a sharp increase from ₦17,500 just a week earlier. Checks across Lagos and other cities revealed that 1kg of gas now sells between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000, depending on the location.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Mr. Bassey Essien, the price surge is tied to the recent industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which disrupted distribution across the country. “Dangote Petroleum Refinery is currently the highest local supplier of cooking gas in Nigeria. The crisis involving PENGASSAN scuttled distribution. Many dealers could not replenish their stocks during the period,” he told Vanguard.
Essien added that the current situation is largely a function of demand and supply imbalance, noting that while demand remains high, supply disruptions have worsened scarcity. “Supply would likely stabilise in the coming days following the resolution of the conflict,” he assured.
Meanwhile, many gas plants in Lagos and nearby areas were shut down due to stock shortages, forcing residents to move from one station to another in search of cooking gas.
Dangote Group’s President, Aliko Dangote, recently disclosed that the refinery currently produces 2,000 tonnes of LPG daily, with plans to expand production further to meet national demand. He emphasized that if distributors continue to inflate prices, the refinery might begin selling directly to consumers to promote affordable clean energy use.
Before Dangote’s intervention, Nigeria’s LPG demand was mainly met by the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG). In a report obtained by Vanguard, NLNG reaffirmed its commitment to providing clean, reliable energy to Nigerians, noting that since 2007, it has supplied Butane (cooking gas) to homes under its Domestic LPG (DLPG) scheme.
The company stated that it now dedicates 100% of its Butane output to the domestic market, with supply channels operating through coastal terminals in Lagos, Rivers, and soon Delta State. NLNG added that it has also chartered a dedicated vessel to ensure consistent delivery and ailability across the country.
Despite these efforts, the persistent rise in LPG prices continues to put pressure on households already battling inflation and high living costs, raising concerns about a possible shift back to firewood and kerosene — a setback for clean energy goals in Nigeria.
