The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers has warned of worsening hardship for millions of households as the supply of cooking gas becomes increasingly erratic and prices surge. The association said the product now sells for more than N1,500 per kilogram, with marketers paying between N25.2m and N26.2m for 20 metric tonnes depending on location. In many areas, dealers sell at between N1,600 and N2,000 per kilogram, a sharp rise from less than N1,000/kg only weeks ago.
In a statement signed by National President Edu Inyang and Executive Secretary Bassey Essien, the group described the development as “sad and rather very pathetic,” warning that if unchecked, citizens could rise against gas station owners. The association said the crisis has brought untold hardship to households, food vendors, and small businesses that rely on LPG for daily cooking.
NALPGAM noted that the situation is eroding progress made by government policies promoting clean energy, as families are reverting to firewood and charcoal, with serious implications for public health and the environment. It cited persistent supply shortages, high depot prices, logistics bottlenecks, and rising operational costs as key challenges.
The group warned that failure to address the crisis could lead to food inflation, collapse of small-scale LPG businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence, and setbacks to Nigeria’s clean energy commitments. It urged the Federal Government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, producers, terminal operators, and international suppliers to take urgent steps to stabilize the market.
NALPGAM recommended measures including increased domestic LPG allocation, transparent distribution, reduced importation bottlenecks, and interventions to stabilize retail prices nationwide.
