UPDATED: Nigerians Abandon Gas for Firewood as Prices Hit N2,000 per Kilogram

UPDATED: Nigerians Abandon Gas for Firewood as Prices Hit N2,000 per Kilogram

Nigeria’s cooking gas crisis deepens, with prices soaring to N2,000 per kilogram in Lagos, as marketers warn of a return to firewood and soaring food inflation.

The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) , commonly known as cooking gas, has surged to record highs across Nigeria, pushing household energy costs beyond the reach of millions.

Market checks across major cities confirm that retail gas prices have increased sharply, with Lagos recording the highest spike. In areas such as Alakuko, a kilogram of cooking gas now sells for between N1,800 and N2,000. Along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a 12kg cylinder costs as much as N19,200 at filling stations like Sungas in Aseese. In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, prices are trending upward, with depots selling at approximately N1,400 per kilogram, while roadside resellers charge between N1,650 and N1,750. Port Harcourt is experiencing acute shortages, with prices quoted as high as N1,800 per kilogram in some neighbourhoods.

Industry stakeholders attribute the current crisis to a combination of global market pressures, foreign exchange volatility, and domestic infrastructure gaps. Nigeria continues to rely on imported LPG to meet domestic demand. With the naira trading around ₦1,350 to the dollar, the landing cost of cooking gas has skyrocketed. Marketers have significantly reduced or halted imports due to elevated costs, creating a supply crunch. Energy experts also point to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict and broader Middle East tensions as key drivers of higher international LPG benchmarks. These global price shocks are transmitted directly to Nigerian consumers.

Another major factor is Nigeria’s weak storage infrastructure. The nation has only about 18 days of LPG storage capacity, far below the global benchmark of 60 days. Total storage stands at approximately 800,000 metric tonnes, insufficient to meet the national target of distributing 5 million metric tonnes annually. This leaves the market vulnerable to any supply disruption. Additionally, while local production has increased, a significant portion of domestic output is propane, which is often exported. However, Nigeria’s cooking gas market relies mostly on butane. This mismatch forces continued, costly imports.

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The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has warned that the current trend could reverse a decade of progress in clean cooking energy. According to the association, the high cost is forcing many households and small businesses to revert to firewood and charcoal, a regression that has severe implications for public health, accelerates deforestation, and undermines Nigeria’s climate commitments. NALPGAM also cautioned that without urgent government intervention, the crisis could trigger accelerated food inflation as food vendors pass on higher fuel costs, the collapse of small-scale LPG retail businesses, job losses in the energy value chain, and public backlash against gas station owners.

In response to the crisis, the NNPC Ltd. has unveiled its Gas Master Plan 2026, which includes a 20 million LPG cylinder supply initiative aimed for delivery by 2030. However, analysts note that success depends on consistent policy enforcement. On the private sector front, NESGAS Limited has secured a $200 million financing deal to construct a 50,000-metric-tonne LPG storage facility in Onne, Rivers State. Once completed, the facility is expected to significantly boost supply stability in the region. Additionally, Seplat Energy is commissioning new LPG facilities at its Sapele and ANOH gas plants, with the Sapele plant alone capable of producing roughly 163 metric tonnes per day.

For millions of Nigerians, the soaring cost of cooking gas is not just an inconvenience — it is a daily survival challenge. An egg seller in Ikeja, Lagos, lamented: “I use gas to boil eggs for my small business. The price keeps going up. It is eating deep into my profit. What are we supposed to do?” Another trader in Abuja expressed fear that many families may be forced to return to kerosene and firewood, worsening indoor air pollution and health risks. With a standard 12.5kg cylinder now costing upwards of N18,750 to refill — equivalent to several days’ income for many households — the pressure on low-income families is immense.

While long-term infrastructure projects offer hope for a more stable future, the immediate outlook remains grim. NALPGAM has appealed to the Federal Government, NMDPRA, and NNPC Ltd. to take urgent, coordinated steps to stabilize the market. The association warned that without decisive action, “the citizens may rise against the owners of gas filling stations.” Until then, Nigerian households and small businesses are left to bear the brunt of the highest cooking gas prices in recent memory.

 

UPDATED: Nigerians Abandon Gas for Firewood as Prices Hit N2,000 per Kilogram