A sudden and sharp nationwide increase in the price of cooking gas has worsened the economic hardship facing Nigerian households, forcing many consumers to downsize their purchases or resort to hazardous energy alternatives like charcoal.
A sudden nationwide spike in the retail price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has dealt a severe blow to Nigerian households already grappling with a high cost of living. Over the weekend, the price per kilogram of gas jumped by 25 percent from ₦1,200 to between ₦1,400 and ₦1,500 in several locations, effectively pushing the cost of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder from ₦14,200 to ₦17,500. The development has triggered widespread despondency at various filling stations, particularly within the Amuwo Odofin axis of Lagos State, where helpless residents have been seen gathering in clusters to lament the persistent inflationary pressures that have defined the domestic economy since the removal of the petrol subsidy three years ago.
The unexpected fiscal shock left countless consumers confused on Monday morning, forcing many who could no longer afford a full refill to ration their purchases. Gas station spot checks revealed that customers who arrived with 12.5kg cylinders were forced to buy only 8kg or 9kg due to the sudden pricing shift, while others with smaller 4kg cylinders could only afford to top up 2kg. A significant number of frustrated buyers were seen returning home completely empty-handed to fall back on traditional alternatives, prompting the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) to warn that the product is fast becoming entirely prohibitive for everyday families, low-income earners, and small-scale food vendors.
In a joint statement highlighting the severity of the supply crisis, NALPGAM President Edu Inyang and Executive Secretary Mr. Bassey Essien cautioned that erratic supply channels and exorbitant depot costs—with 20 metric tonnes now commanding between ₦25.2 million and ₦26.2 million—are actively eroding the country’s clean energy milestones. The association voiced deep fears over brewing public discontent, noting that “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,” while explicitly warning that “we feel that if the situation is not immediately checked, the citizens may rise against the owners of gas filling stations.”
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