Key Points

• Cooking gas price in Nigeria has surged to N25,000 per 12.5kg.

• PENGASSAN strike disrupted gas supply and distribution nationwide.

• Dangote and NLNG pledge to stabilise LPG supply soon.

Many Nigerian families are struggling to cook as the price of cooking gas has jumped sharply again. A 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, now costs about N25,000, up from N17,500 just last week.

Across several parts of Lagos and other cities, Vanguard found that 1kg of gas now sells for between N1,500 and N2,000, depending on the area.

The situation has forced many gas plants to shut down because they have run out of stock. Residents have been moving from one gas station to another in search of gas — a stressful routine that is becoming too common.

Honestly, this is not just about prices going up. It shows how weak our supply system is and how easily everyday Nigerians suffer whenever there is a disruption in the energy sector.

Strike disrupted supply from major gas suppliers

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Bassey Essien, said the price surge was caused by a supply disruption linked to the recent strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

In a phone interview with Vanguard, he explained that Dangote Petroleum Refinery, now the biggest local supplier of LPG, could not deliver its usual volumes during the strike, and many dealers were unable to restock.

“What we are seeing is simply demand and supply at work,” Essien said. “The demand for cooking gas is higher than supply. But we expect supply to improve soon since the strike has ended.”

He said the situation should normalise in the coming days. But for now, consumers are still paying heavily for a basic household need — one that should be affordable in an oil-producing country like Nigeria.

Dangote and NLNG step in to meet Nigeria’s energy needs

The Dangote Refinery says it is working to reduce the shortage. The company’s president, Aliko Dangote, recently said the refinery produces 2,000 tonnes of LPG daily and plans to increase that amount soon.

“If distributors are not ready to bring prices down, we will sell directly to consumers,” Dangote said. “We want more people to stop using firewood or kerosene and switch to cooking gas.”

Before Dangote’s entry into the market, Nigeria depended largely on Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to supply cooking gas.

The company said it has been producing and supplying 100 percent of its Butane (cooking gas) for domestic use since 2022.

According to NLNG, it supplies gas through selected distributors in Lagos and Rivers states, with plans to expand to Delta and other parts of the country.

“We have also chartered a special vessel to make sure gas reaches homes regularly,” NLNG said.

“Our goal is to make cooking gas available, affordable, and accessible to every Nigerian household.”

Even with these efforts, many Nigerians still face energy poverty — living in a country rich in natural gas but struggling to get enough for daily cooking.