Cooking Gas Prices Rise, Hitting Nigerian Families Hard

In June, Lagos fashion designer Lolade Fayemi went to refill her 6kg gas cylinder in Baruwa, Iyana-Ipaja. She planned to buy 2kg of cooking gas. But she was shocked to see the price jump from about ₦1,700 per kilogram to ₦2,500 in just a week. She could only afford 1 kilogram and ended up paying for that.

"The price is ridiculous. You still spend money on transportation to the gas station, and the gas may not even serve you for a week," she told PREMIUM TIMES in July.

Ms Fayemi’s experience is just like that of millions of Nigerians. The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), known as cooking gas, went up due to supply disruptions from the ongoing war between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Energy experts say the price increase was made worse by local problems. These include poor infrastructure, inconsistent government policies, and Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported LPG.

While a PREMIUM TIMES survey in July showed prices started to ease after peaking in late June, consumers say the relief is minimal. Cooking gas prices are still much higher than they were just two months ago.

A survey by PREMIUM TIMES in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones found that LPG prices rose from around ₦1,100, ₦1,350 per kilogram in April and May to between ₦1,700 and ₦2,200 in late June. Some places charged as high as ₦2,500.

By the first week of July, prices dropped to between ₦1,250 and ₦1,800 per kilogram, but many households still buy smaller amounts, delay refills, or go back to cooking with firewood and charcoal.

Lagos Sees Sellers’ Market

Retailers in Lagos said the price hike was due to shortages at coastal depots and uncertainty in international energy markets amid tensions in the Middle East.

Lateef Badmus, manager of Al-Moruff Gas Plant along LASU-Iba Road, said retail prices reflect wholesale costs.

"When there is scarcity and demand is high, prices increase because consumers have little choice," he said.

Damilola Adeyoriju, an administrator at Casco Gas, described the situation as a “man-know-man” market. She explained access to supplies depended on personal connections.

"The few marketers that had products sold mainly to people they knew. Getting even one truck became difficult," she said.

However, prices are beginning to come down across Lagos.

At Al-Moruff Gas in Kosofe, cooking gas sold for about ₦1,450 per kilogram, down from around ₦2,000 at the peak. Starco Filling Station in Orile dropped its price to ₦1,800 from over ₦2,000. NIPCO outlets in Jakande Estate sold gas for between ₦1,500 and ₦1,550 per kilogram after charging as much as ₦1,700.

Consumers reported that the price spike raised household expenses significantly.

Enomfon Okure, an oncology nurse, said she paid ₦2,100 per kilogram in June compared to about ₦1,700 in May.

"The hike affects everything because cooking gas is our only reliable means of cooking. We don’t have regular electricity, so we simply adjust and pay," she said.

Another resident, Ajura Oseme, said the price increase forced her to temporarily switch back to charcoal until prices eased.

Ondo Households Turn to Firewood

Prices in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, rose similarly. They went from about ₦1,300 per kilogram in April to around ₦1,700 in late June, then eased to about ₦1,400 in early July.

The increase pushed many residents to cut usage and return to traditional cooking methods.

Jo Uanzekin, a resident of Oda, said he took his 12.5kg cylinder for a refill but could afford only 5kg.

"I am managing that one for now while supporting it with firewood from my farm," he said.

Joshua Nambur, who buys gas at a NIPCO station in Akure, said he now only buys one to one-and-a-half kilograms at a time.

Marketers also noticed a drop in patronage.

Shuaibu Aminu, operations manager at Shaffa Filling Station, said the station sold LPG for about ₦1,350 per kilogram in May. Prices rose to ₦1,600 before easing to around ₦1,400.

Rotimi Adamolekun, manager of SCAAB Gas, said the drop in wholesale prices made it hard for many marketers, forcing them to sell at a loss.

"My last purchase was ₦28 million for 20 tonnes. Now the same quantity sells for ₦22 million, so we have to sell at a loss," he said.

In many rural areas of Ondo State, families are going back to firewood and charcoal. Some urban residents with steady electricity are using electric cookers more.

Similar patterns are seen in Oyo and Osun states, where cooking gas prices fell after peaking at ₦1,700 and ₦2,000 per kilogram during the crisis.

A PREMIUM TIMES survey found that stations in Ibadan and Osogbo now sell LPG for between ₦1,250 and ₦1,420 per kilogram.

At Petrocam Gas Station in Ibadan, manager Bello Olaniyi said the decline is due to lower depot prices.

"Many customers could not afford to refill their cylinders when prices rose. They simply bought smaller quantities," he said.

John Israel, an attendant at an MRS Filling Station, said the price changes are due to supply disruptions and Nigeria’s reliance on imported LPG.

In Osogbo, marketers shared similar worries.

Maruf Adeniyi, manager of an A.A. Rano outlet, said Nigeria is vulnerable to global price changes because local supply is still not enough.

"We’re currently selling at about ₦1,350 per kilogram, which is much lower than last week. But unless domestic production improves, price fluctuations will continue," he said.

For businesses that need cooking gas, the recent drop has given some hope.

Victoria Okechi, who runs a food business in Osogbo, said the price hikes forced her to raise food prices to survive.

While she welcomed the recent price drop, she warned that another spike would force many small businesses to increase prices again.

Across the South-west, both consumers and marketers hope prices will keep falling.

But many remind us that without better local LPG production and a stronger supply chain, Nigerian households will still face future price shocks.

North-central: Households and Businesses Feel Pressure

Cooking gas prices have started to ease in the North-central region after weeks of sharp increases. But households, retailers, and small businesses say the decline has only given limited relief.

A PREMIUM TIMES survey in Abuja, Benue, Plateau, and Niger states found that LPG prices, which reached ₦2,000 per kilogram at the peak of the crisis, have come down to about ₦1,450, ₦1,600 in many places. Even so, consumers still buy smaller amounts or use charcoal and firewood instead.

In Abuja, Mustapha Abubakar, manager of AA Rano Gas along the Karshi Bypass, linked the price rise to global energy market disruptions from tensions involving Iran.

He said prices at the outlet climbed to ₦1,750 per kilogram before falling to ₦1,450 as supply improved.

Independent retailer Luka Samuel said higher costs for buying and transporting gas squeezed marketers' profits, forcing many to raise prices.

He noted that customers who used to refill 6kg or 12.5kg cylinders now buy only two or three kilograms at a time.

Small Businesses Also Struggling

The impact on small businesses has been severe as well.

Helen Ikwuoche runs a restaurant within the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters in Abuja. She said the cost to refill her 12.5kg cylinder shot up from about ₦12,000 to over ₦22,000 during the height of the crisis.

To keep her business running, she started using charcoal to cook some meals.

Market checks show LPG selling for around ₦1,500 per kilogram at RainOil, ₦1,550 at NIPCO, and ₦1,616 at LUBGAS. Retailers said customer visits dropped sharply during the price spike as people cut back on purchases.

In Benue State, many households are also rationing their gas use.

A resident of Makurdi, Enoch Nyita, said the ₦6,000 he used to pay to fill his 5kg cylinder when gas was around ₦1,250 per kilogram now barely covers 3kg after prices climbed to about ₦1,950.

His family now relies on charcoal for meals that require longer cooking time. Other residents made similar adjustments, but efforts to get comments from major LPG retailers in Makurdi were unsuccessful.

In Plateau State, retailers blamed the price hike on the high cost of transporting LPG from coastal depots to the region.

At GDS Gas Plant in Jos, off-taker Dalla George said customer traffic has dropped as many buyers have reduced their purchases from about 5kg to just 2kg.

Albarka Danladi, a small business owner, said rising cooking gas prices forced him to shut down the food section of his business. Marketers warned that ongoing price increases might push more families back to firewood and charcoal.

In Niger State, prices have also started to fall.

PREMIUM TIMES found that AA Rano cut its price from ₦1,750 to ₦1,450 per kilogram, while El-Shabab Gas sold at about ₦1,500 and Admar Gas at ₦1,600.

Consumers welcomed the price drops but noted that costs remain too high for many households.

South-east: Consumers Still Struggling

In the South-east, cooking gas is still much more expensive than it was a few months ago, even with recent price reductions in some areas.

In Enugu State, PREMIUM TIMES found LPG currently sells for between ₦1,650 and ₦1,700 per kilogram.

Uchenna Okegbe, a point-of-sale operator, said the high cost of cooking gas is still putting a strain on family budgets.

"What we suffer now is that after refilling our cylinders, we are unable to afford food items," he told PREMIUM TIMES in Igbo.

He said the increase has worsened economic hardship because LPG is the main cooking fuel for many urban families.

Anthony Ogbu, who owns a cooking gas depot, said high prices come from inadequate supply across the country.

Surveys in other parts of the South-east showed LPG selling for between ₦1,600 and ₦1,700 per kilogram in Abia and Anambra states, while prices ranged from ₦1,700 to ₦2,200 in Imo and Ebonyi states.

North-west & North-east: Households Reducing Use

Cooking gas prices stay high across Kano, Katsina, and Gombe states, despite recent drops in some markets. This has forced households to cut back on usage while retailers cite higher logistics costs, supply issues, and global market changes.

In Kano, a PREMIUM TIMES survey found LPG selling for between ₦1,400 and ₦1,750 per kilogram after peaking at ₦2,000 during the supply crisis.

Ayuba Isah, an attendant at Isa Gulu Gas in Gwale Local Government Area, said prices are still hard to predict.

"Prices can increase at any moment. Sometimes customers are still in the queue when we receive instructions to adjust prices," he said.

For consumers, the increases have stretched tight household budgets.

Bature Muhammad shared that refilling his 6kg cylinder went from about ₦7,500 in June to over ₦10,000 within weeks.

At Marhaf Gas Station, Isma’il Mu’azu, a civil servant, said he struggles to refill his 12kg cylinder because his salary hasn't changed, while costs keep rising.

"Once I pay for food, water, and electricity, nothing is left," he said. He also mentioned that his family sometimes uses charcoal, but the savings are small.

Musadiq Muhammad, manager of AA Rano Gas on Zaria Road, said the price jump is due to uncertainty in international energy markets amid the recent conflict in the Middle East.

He said marketers are hesitant to buy large amounts because of fluctuating wholesale costs, leading to temporary shortages.

AA Rano now sells LPG for about ₦1,400 per kilogram after prices fell.

In Katsina, cooking gas is available but prices vary between ₦1,600 and ₦1,950 per kilogram. Retailers blame transportation costs, diesel prices, and distance from coastal depots.

The manager of Ultimate Gas, known simply as Muhammed, said retailers pass on prices set by suppliers.

"Gas comes from Port Harcourt or Lagos, and transporting it over that distance consumes a lot of diesel," he said.

At Butane Energy, manager Abubakar Abdullahi said better supply has slightly lowered prices, while Shafa Energy reported customers are increasingly buying smaller amounts instead of filling cylinders.

Many households and small businesses say traveling to larger stations that offer cheaper prices often turns out to be unwise because savings are eaten up by transport costs.

A food vendor in Katsina said he now buys gas from nearby retailers despite the higher price because transport costs make it uneconomical to travel to distant places.

Instead of increasing menu prices, he said he has reduced portion sizes.

In Gombe State, residents reported similar experiences.

Retailers said high depot prices, transport costs, and supply disruptions pushed prices up. Consumers are delaying refills or buying only small amounts.

Amina Muhammad, a mother of three, said her family is now careful about when to refill their cylinder because food and other household costs have also risen.

Even without widespread shortages, marketers noted poor patronage as consumers adjusted their spending.

South-south: Gas-Producing Areas Also Suffering

Despite being one of Nigeria’s top gas-producing areas, many families in Akwa Ibom are buying less cooking gas and switching back to firewood as LPG prices remain high.

When Christiana John, a mother of six in Uquo, Esit Eket Local Government Area, visited a gas station with her 4kg cylinder during the peak of the crisis, she could only afford 1kg.

"I used to fill the entire cylinder. Now I can only buy one kilogram," she told PREMIUM TIMES.

Her family now cooks just once a day, avoids meals that take a long time to cook, and often eats soup without reheating it.

Her situation highlights a strange irony.

According to the latest Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) report, Akwa Ibom accounted for about 28 percent of Nigeria’s gas production in 2023. Yet many locals say cooking gas is becoming too expensive.

A survey across Esit Eket, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Abak, Uyo, and Ibesikpo Asutan found retail prices ranging from ₦1,500 to ₦1,900 per kilogram. Prices went over ₦2,000 during the June supply disruption.

In Uquo, retailer Enombang Derek said customers have not stopped buying gas but now purchase much smaller amounts.

"People who used to buy 10kg now buy about seven. Those who bought four kilograms now buy one-and-a-half," he said.

In nearby Eket, PREMIUM TIMES noted long queues at Hydrogas, where LPG sold for ₦1,550 per kilogram.

A resident, Kingsley Umoette, said cooking gas now takes up almost one-third of his income, forcing him to cook less and eat out more.

Hydrogas supervisor Nelson Williams said households continue to buy LPG despite widespread complaints because there are few alternatives.

"We have gone past the age of abandoning gas. People complain every day, but they still buy because there is no alternative," he said.

In Ikot Ekpene, a retired teacher, Juliana Umoh, said she now spends about ₦31,000 every month on cooking gas from her ₦107,000 pension.

Manager of Basumoh Gas Plant, Umoh Edet, said customers are increasingly buying smaller quantities as incomes fail to keep up with rising prices.

Across Abak and Ibesikpo Asutan, retailers sold LPG for between ₦1,750 and ₦1,900 per kilogram. They cited old stock purchased at higher wholesale prices and transport costs.

The longest queues were in Uyo, where AA Rano sold cooking gas for ₦1,500 per kilogram. PREMIUM TIMES saw over 100 customers waiting to refill cylinders, with some waiting more than four hours.

Station manager Usman Yahaya said prices are still about 35 percent higher than before the June spike.

"Customers now buy in anger because they are struggling to survive," he said.

He explained that AA Rano’s relatively lower prices come from the company’s direct supply chain, which allows it to operate on smaller margins.

Elsewhere in the Niger Delta, prices remain high despite recent drops.

In Port Harcourt, most outlets sell LPG for around ₦1,800 per kilogram.

Mercy Francis said she could only afford 4kg instead of the 6kg she used to buy.

"I was so hurt spending that amount of money. These four kilograms won’t even last me one month," she said.

In Yenagoa, prices ranged from ₦1,350 to ₦1,450 per kilogram at major stations, while outlets in Asaba sold LPG for between ₦1,800 and ₦2,000 per kilogram.

Across the South-south, consumers welcomed the recent price drops but noted that cooking gas is still out of reach for many low-income families.

Why Cooking Gas Prices Keep Rising

Industry players say Nigeria's ongoing cooking gas price shocks come from a mix of global market problems and long-standing local weaknesses.

Segun Adigun, Executive Director of Thruvision Gas Plant in Abuja, said policy inconsistency, poor infrastructure, and Nigeria’s reliance on imported LPG expose consumers to price swings.

He explained that for many years, Nigeria exported most of its LPG because contracts signed before local demand grew did not focus on local supply.

Even though the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari renegotiated some deals to reserve part of production for the local market, he argued that later policies made local sales less appealing, encouraging producers to export again.

International events have complicated things further.

The Russia-Ukraine war raised European demand for LPG. Meanwhile, the recent military conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States disrupted global energy markets, raising prices for importers.

“Nigerian producers naturally prioritize markets where they earn more, while local marketers face higher costs for replacement, shipping delays, and uncertainty,” he said.

Mr Adigun noted that weak domestic infrastructure also increases costs.

"Poor pipeline networks force marketers to transport LPG over long distances by road, increasing logistics costs and delaying deliveries," he said.

He urged the government to improve gas transportation infrastructure and implement consistent long-term energy policies to boost local supply, cut transport costs, and stabilize prices.

Government Steps In to Ease Pressure

Last month, the federal government announced emergency actions to address the sharp rise in cooking gas prices after retail prices hit about ₦2,000 per kilogram in Lagos and over ₦1,600 in parts of Abuja.

The intervention followed urgent talks with producers, marketers, and other industry players to improve local supply and calm the market.

According to the latest market report by the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), the measures have started to show positive results.

The association reported that Nigeria’s LPG market improved during the week ending July 5 as better product availability reduced panic buying.

Average depot prices fell by 10 to 18 percent from their mid-June peak, with ex-depot prices now averaging between ₦1,050 and ₦1,125 per kilogram.

Retail prices have also started to drop, ranging from about ₦1,100, ₦1,350 per kilogram in Lagos to between ₦1,650 and ₦1,900 in Maiduguri.

However, NALPGAM noted that significant price differences remain due to high transport costs, multiple fees, foreign exchange issues, and poor inland storage facilities.

Industry data collected by PREMIUM TIMES shows how sharply wholesale prices moved during the crisis.

Before the conflict involving Iran escalated, a 20-metric-ton truckload of LPG sold for about ₦16.5 million. During the peak of the disruption, the price climbed to around ₦27.5 million before dropping to about ₦22 million after ceasefire talks began.

Major LPG plant operators in Abuja told PREMIUM TIMES that heavy rainfall complicated road transport in parts of the country, raising delivery costs and slowing distribution.

Some marketers also claimed that higher profit margins in neighboring countries encourage suppliers to divert products out of Nigeria, tightening local supply.

Clean Cooking Transition Policy in Danger?

The recent surge in cooking gas prices comes at a critical time for Nigeria.

Governments have promoted LPG as a cleaner alternative to firewood and charcoal as part of the country’s energy transition plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health.

Yet, a nationwide survey by PREMIUM TIMES shows that rising prices are pushing many households back to traditional cooking fuels, especially in low-income and rural areas.

Families across every geopolitical zone visited reported buying smaller amounts of gas, delaying refills, cooking fewer meals, and increasingly relying on charcoal and firewood to manage their budgets.

Restaurants, food vendors, and small businesses have had to absorb higher costs, raise prices, or cut production.

Even though recent government actions have helped stabilize supplies and lower prices, industry experts warn that true stability will depend on boosting local LPG production, improving storage and distribution infrastructure, enhancing transport networks, and maintaining consistent market policies.

Experts say until these challenges are addressed, Nigerian households will remain vulnerable to price shocks driven by both local issues and international events.