By: Tijani Salako.

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers has raised concerns over the rising cost and irregular supply of cooking gas, warning that the situation could trigger scarcity and deepen hardship for millions of Nigerians.

The association said Liquefied Petroleum Gas currently sells for over N1,500 per kilogramme in many parts of the country, while marketers now pay between N25.2 million and N26.2 million for 20 metric tonnes of the product, depending on location. Retail prices at some outlets reportedly range from N1,600 to N2,000 per kilogramme.

Findings by our correspondent on Sunday showed that the commodity, which sold for less than N1,000/kg in recent months, has witnessed a sharp increase across several locations nationwide.

In a statement jointly signed by the National President of NALPGAM, Edu Inyang, and the Executive Secretary, Bassey Essien, the marketers described the development as “sad and rather very pathetic”.

According to the association, the soaring price of cooking gas has placed severe pressure on households, small businesses, food vendors, and low-income earners who depend on LPG for daily cooking and economic activities.

“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,” the association stated, warning that frustration among consumers could escalate if urgent action is not taken.

NALPGAM attributed the crisis to persistent supply shortages, high depot prices, logistics challenges, and rising operational costs confronting operators across the LPG value chain.

It warned that the situation was gradually eroding the gains achieved by the Federal Government in promoting clean energy adoption and LPG penetration in the country.

The association noted that many families who had embraced cooking gas under the clean energy transition agenda were now struggling to refill cylinders due to the rising cost, forcing some households to return to firewood and charcoal despite the health and environmental implications.

It further cautioned that failure to address the situation could worsen food inflation, lead to job losses, weaken investor confidence, and threaten Nigeria’s clean energy and climate targets.

NALPGAM, therefore, 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, and other stakeholders to urgently intervene and stabilise supply and pricing in the market.

The association also advocated increased domestic LPG allocation, transparent product distribution, reduced importation bottlenecks, investment in storage infrastructure, and 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.