The cost of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, has surged to ₦25,000 this week, up from ₦17,500 the previous week.
According to market checks by Vanguard, 1kg of gas now sells between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000, depending on the location.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, Bassey Essien, in an interview with Vanguard, attributed the sharp increase to recent disruptions caused by the strike action of 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 a function of demand and supply. The demand for cooking gas is higher than supply. But supply would likely stabilise in the coming days, following resolution of the conflict.”
Checks in Lagos and neighbouring areas revealed that several gas plants were shut down due to a lack of product, forcing consumers to move from one station to another in search of gas.
The scarcity has left many households worried as prices continue to fluctuate.
Dangote Refinery Boosts Supply
Recently, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, announced that the refinery is producing 2,000 tonnes of LPG daily, with plans to increase output further.
Dangote, who expressed concerns about Nigeria’s energy poverty, said: “If the distributors are not trying to bring it down, we’ll go directly and sell to consumers so that people will now transit from firewood or kerosene to LPG for cooking.”
Before Dangote’s intervention, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) was the leading supplier of LPG in the domestic market.
In a report obtained this week, NLNG reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access.
“Since 2007, under our Domestic LPG 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 Nigeria’s domestic needs. Thanks to this commitment, all of our Butane output is now fully absorbed locally,” the company said.
NLNG explained that supplies were delivered to approved coastal terminals in Lagos and Rivers, with plans to extend to Delta and other states. It also disclosed that a dedicated vessel had been chartered to ensure regular and reliable deliveries.
“By reaching different regions, we are bringing cooking gas closer to consumers. Our goal is to make cooking gas more available, accessible, affordable, and acceptable across the country,” NLNG added.
