Despite government data suggesting a fall in cooking gas prices, households are grappling with an alarming surge in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) costs with a kilogram now selling for as high as ₦3,500.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average cost of refilling a 5kg cylinder of LPG dropped from ₦8,243.79 in July to ₦6,404.02 in August 2025. But a quick reality check at the retail end paints a different picture.
In Ijeshatedo, Lagos, long queues have become a daily struggle. One frustrated resident described spending hours searching for cooking gas, only to give up after retailers demanded between ₦3,000 and ₦3,500 per kilogramme. Even filling stations, which offered slightly cheaper rates at ₦2,500, were overcrowded with desperate customers.
In Ogun State’s Atan community, residents said they paid between ₦2,000 and ₦2,500 after enduring long waits. Over in Igando, Lagos, gas prices ranged from ₦1,800 to ₦2,000 depending on the location. Many households say they are turning to charcoal and electric alternatives as cooking gas becomes both scarce and unaffordable.
Explaining the crisis, President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Olatunbosun Oladapo, blamed the scarcity and price hike on supply disruptions caused by the PENGASSAN strike and maintenance activities at the Dangote Refinery.
He said vessel berthing at Lagos terminals had been delayed, while the Nigeria LNG (NLNG) diverted large volumes of supply to Port Harcourt shielding the South-South from the worst shortages. Oladapo, however, assured that normalcy would return soon as the refinery and other suppliers resume full operations.
“Most of our LPG now comes from local production. Importation is minimal, and importing at this point could even lead to losses,” he said.
Energy law expert and Partner at Bloomfield LP, Dr Ayodele Oni, noted that Nigeria’s periodic gas shortages persist despite higher upstream gas output. He explained that much of the locally produced LPG is still exported, limiting domestic availability.
While local cooking gas sales reportedly rose 22 per cent year-on-year to about 65,632 metric tonnes in March 2025, Oni said the country’s export focus continues to undermine affordability and access for Nigerian households.
