The price of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has surged to N25,000 this week from N17,500 the previous week, worsening the pressure on household budgets.
Market checks by Vanguard revealed that 1kg of LPG now sells for between N1,500 and N2,000, depending on location.
Speaking with justnewsline, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Mr. Bassey Essien, attributed the hike to distribution disruptions caused by the recent industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
He said, “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. What we are witnessing is simply a function of demand and supply. The demand for cooking gas is higher than supply, but we expect stability soon following the resolution of the conflict.”
Checks also showed that several gas plants in Lagos and surrounding areas were shut down due to stock shortages, forcing consumers to move from one outlet to another in search of gas.
Recently, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, disclosed that the refinery currently produces 2,000 tonnes of LPG daily, with plans to further increase output to meet growing national demand.
Dangote noted, “If the distributors are not trying to bring it down, we’ll go directly and sell to consumers so that people can transit from firewood or kerosene to LPG for cooking.”
Before the Dangote Refinery’s intervention, the bulk of Nigeria’s LPG supply came from Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG). In a recent report, NLNG reaffirmed its commitment to making clean, reliable energy accessible to Nigerian households.
According to the company, “Since 2007, under our Domestic LPG (DLPG) scheme, we have been supplying Butane—commonly known as cooking gas—to homes across Nigeria. In 2022, we committed 100% of our Butane production to the domestic market, and all of it is now fully absorbed locally.”
NLNG further explained that it supplies Butane through approved coastal LPG terminals located in Lagos and Rivers States, with new facilities under review in Delta State and plans to expand further. The company has also chartered a dedicated vessel to ensure regular and reliable delivery of cooking gas nationwide.
Despite these efforts, the ongoing shortage and price hike continue to deepen the burden on households already struggling with high living costs, highlighting the urgent need for a more stable and inclusive LPG distribution framework.