Yakubu Lawal

Despite several assurances by the Ministry of Petroleum (Gas) , Nigerian Middle and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ( NMDPRA) on stability of prices of domestic gas , investigations has revealed that prices has Ben on the increasing mode,
Investigation by Daily NewsCraft newspaper revealed that the price of 1kg of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) otherwise known as cooking gas now goes for N1,700 against N1,300, for the same size three weeks ago in some parts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
In Gwarimpa area of Abuja two retail outlets visited by our reporter showed that 1kg of LPG now sell for N1,700 while a 12.5kg cylinder of LPG was bought at N21,250 About two weeks ago 1kg cylinder in the same outlet went for N1,500 while 12.5kg sold for N18,500 ,
The rising trend in the price of cooking gas was noticed towards the end of August 2026 but reported early September 2026.
According to earlier reports, 1kg cylinder in early August went for N1,320 while a 12.5kg common among Nigerian households was sold for N16,500 in August showing an increase of more than 8.3 percent on a Month-on-Month (MoM), bases.
Though not the same price in all the retail outlets visited but market situation in Kubwa, Lugbe and some areas in Central Area of Abuja showed the rising trend in price both at retail outlets and in some petrol stations where LPG is dispensed,
Michael Chukwu of KC Oil and Gas on six avenue of Gwarinpa , a retail outlet operator attributed the increase of price to transportation cost and irregular supply of the products by the suppliers.
Early last month, Vanguard reported that the product sold for N1,300 per 1kg as at September 16, 2026 from N1,200 it was sold in the corresponding period of August 2026, in Lagos, with varying differentials at various gas plants, adding that while accredited stations maintained the N1,300 mark, the cost at smaller ones were higher, ranging from N1,350 and N1,400 depending on the location.
The paper, quoted Inyang Edu, President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), as saying that the current increase could not be attributed to only one factor, adding that the international geopolitical crisis, particularly the conflict involving the United States and Iran control of Strait of Hormuz had created significant volatility in the global energy market.
His words: “For Nigeria, the effect is transmitted through several channels: international energy prices, shipping and insurance costs, foreign-exchange exposure, domestic logistics and, most importantly for LPG, the availability and cost of supply into the domestic market.
“The immediate consequence is that the cost of LPG has increased along the entire supply chain—from the depot to the LPG plant and ultimately to the consumer. When the replacement cost of LPG rises at the depot, the marketer cannot continue selling at the previous price without making a loss.
Another implication is that many Nigerians across different geopolitical region now switched to charcoal as means of domestic fuel.
This also a far reaching negative consequences for the environment as more deforestation abound across the regions of the country.
‘‘The cost of transportation, loading, financing, plant operations, personnel, maintenance and other logistics must also be recovered before the product reaches the consumer.
“This is particularly painful for households because cooking gas is no longer a luxury fuel. Millions of Nigerian families, restaurants, bakeries, food vendors, schools, hotels and other businesses now depend on LPG.
‘‘The impact therefore goes beyond the price of refilling a cylinder. A rise in LPG prices increases the operating cost of businesses that use gas for cooking or production. Those additional costs eventually feed into the prices of food and other goods and services.
“There is also a social dimension. When LPG becomes unaffordable, some households are forced to reduce consumption or revert to alternative fuels such as firewood and charcoal. That undermines Nigeria’s clean-cooking objectives and can have serious environmental and public-health consequences.
“We have seen the consequences of supply constraints before. In June 2026, the Nigeria Mid and Down Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA) reported a year-to-date LPG supply deficit of about 91,966 metric tonnes, demonstrating that the domestic market has been experiencing structural supply challenges in addition to the international price pressures”.
He disclosed that the price at the depot differ from depot to depot and can change from day to day depending on availability, source of supply, location, logistics and commercial arrangements between suppliers and buyers.
He stated: “As at September 16, 2026 publicly available market information indicates that 20 metric tonnes, MT, transactions in the Lagos market are broadly around N20million–N22.7 million range, depending on the depot and supplier. For example, current market listings show approximately N22 million at Ardova, N22.7 million at Stockgap and about N20 million at Panocean. Another current market listing at some places in Lagos 20MT prices stood around N19.9 million–N20.3 million, illustrating the considerable variation between suppliers and transactions.”