The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers has expressed concern over the rising cost and unstable supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas.
According to the association, cooking gas now sells for more than N1,500 per kilogramme, while marketers pay between N25.2 million and N26.2 million for 20 metric tonnes of the product, depending on location. Some dealers reportedly sell the product for between N1,600 and N2,000 per kilogramme.
Findings on Sunday showed that the commodity, which sold for less than N1,000/kg in recent times, has surged significantly across many locations.
In a statement jointly signed by NALPGAM National President, Edu Inyang, and Executive Secretary, Mr Bassey Essien, the association described the development as “sad and rather very pathetic.”
“The citizens of Nigeria have woken up to buy cooking gas, which should be a social item, at a prohibitive cost of over N1,500 per kg, while the marketers are made to pay as much as N25,200,000 or, depending on the location, N26,200,000 for 20 metric tonnes of cooking gas,” the statement read.
“We feel that if the situation is not immediately checked, the citizens may rise against the owners of gas filling stations,” the marketers warned.
The association noted that the sharp increase in prices and supply challenges had imposed severe hardship on households, food vendors, small businesses, and low-income earners who depend on LPG for cooking and daily operations.
NALPGAM also stated that the crisis threatens the gains already made in Nigeria’s clean energy transition efforts.
According to the group, marketers nationwide are struggling to access LPG due to “persistent supply shortages, high depot prices, logistics bottlenecks and uncontrollable rising operational costs.”
“We observe that where product is available, it is sold at rates far beyond the reach of average Nigerians,” the association stated.
The marketers warned that the situation could reverse years of progress achieved through government policies promoting LPG adoption and clean cooking energy.
“While millions of Nigerians have embraced cooking gas as a result of the national clean energy transition agenda, it is sad to state that those gains are at risk as households are struggling to refill cylinders, small businesses are folding under rising energy costs, while many families are reverting to firewood and charcoal despite the serious implications for public health, environmental degradation, and deforestation,” it said.
NALPGAM further cautioned that if urgent action is not taken, the country could face “accelerated food inflation, the collapse of small-scale LPG retail businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence, and a significant setback to Nigeria’s clean energy and climate commitments.”
The association called on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, domestic producers, terminal operators, and international suppliers to take coordinated steps to stabilise the market.
Among its recommendations were increased domestic LPG supply allocation, transparent distribution processes, reduction of importation and distribution bottlenecks, and interventions to stabilise retail prices nationwide.
NALPGAM also urged greater investment in storage and distribution infrastructure, alongside policies that would improve affordability and sustainability in the sector.
“We cannot stand by and watch millions of Nigerian families suffer in silence while access to clean cooking energy becomes increasingly difficult and unaffordable,” the statement added.
“For years, the government and industry operators have worked to move Nigerians away from unsafe fuels. Those gains are now under serious threat.
“Households cannot refill cylinders, small businesses are struggling to survive, and vulnerable households are returning to firewood and charcoal with dire health and environmental consequences.
“We therefore make a passionate and patriotic appeal to the Federal Government for urgent intervention to stabilise supply and pricing. NALPGAM is ready to collaborate to have lasting solutions, but decisive action is needed now.”