Nigerians are facing another painful spike in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas.
Across major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, and Port Harcourt, retail prices have surged to between N1,300 and N2,000 per kilogram, deepening the cost-of-living crisis for millions of households
Marketers blame the increase on renewed supply disruptions and unresolved bottlenecks in the LPG distribution chain.
A few weeks ago, prices had dropped to around N1,000 per kilogram, but the relief was short-lived as rates climbed sharply again last week.
In Lagos, food vendors and households say the recurring price jumps are crippling. “It’s frustrating,” said Modinat Lanre, a food seller in Ikeja. “I was paying N1,100 per kilogram just last month. Now it’s back to N1,300, and we can’t do without it. We just buy because our business depends on it.”
In Abuja, residents report similar experiences.
A resident of Lugbe said he paid N1,700 per kilogram over the weekend, while others in Durumi bought at N1,800 to N2,000. Prices in Ogun and Oyo have also crept up to between N1,400 and N1,600 per kilogram.
Port Harcourt residents face uneven rates, with some filling stations selling at N1,200 and roadside retailers charging as high as N1,600 per kilogram.
A resident, Jamiu Fasasi, who was shocked by the latest rate, lamented, “I bought it for N1,100 last Sunday. Why is it N1,300 now?”
Industry sources point to lingering effects of an earlier standoff between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery.
At the height of the industrial dispute, LPG prices surged 80%, hitting N3,600 per kilogram in some locations, while scarcity reverberated nationwide.
Experts say the market has yet to recover from the effects of the dispute, as lingering logistics issues continue to disrupt supply. The disruption slowed local supply, forcing prices upward.
A reseller in Lagos explained, “When Dangote stopped production briefly, we relied on imports, but prices rose. Even now, many are avoiding imports because of high international costs and fears of more losses.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, confirmed that recent price spikes stemmed from both the PENGASSAN strike and ongoing maintenance at Nigeria LNG’s Train 4 facility.
He, however, assured that operations have resumed at both Dangote Refinery and Nigeria LNG, promising improved supply soon.
