NALPGAM: Cooking Gas Price Unchanged, Surge Artificial, Normalcy To Return Soon
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Nigerians are grappling with a fresh surge in the price of cooking gas, with a kilogram now selling for as much as ₦2,000 and in some areas, up to ₦3,000 further worsening the cost of living crisis.
However, gas marketers insist there has been no official price hike.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Oladapo Olatunbosun, attributed the spike to temporary supply disruptions and price gouging by opportunistic dealers.
“I sympathise with Nigerians as the President of NALPGAM because we never intended to have a situation like this.
I must state categorically that there has been no official increase in the price of cooking gas,” he said.
According to Olatunbosun, the situation is being driven by a shortage in supply and opportunism within the market.
“Some marketers are exploiting the situation to make quick profits, which is wrong,” he added.
He assured the public that the supply issues are temporary and that normal pricing should return within days.
Earlier reports by Channels TV noted that LPG prices, which previously ranged between ₦1,200 and ₦1,300 per kilogram, have recently jumped to between ₦1,700 and ₦2,000, depending on location.
Olatunbosun explained that the problem started when the Dangote Refinery — a major contributor to local supply — began maintenance operations, which slowed down truck loading and disrupted distribution.
“Before the strike, Dangote loaded about 50 trucks daily for the South-West and parts of the North. But during the renovation, trucks spent up to 14 days waiting to load products.”
To compensate, marketers turned to Apapa for supply. However, the recent PENGASSAN strike further disrupted operations, halting vessel discharges and inspections and leading to nationwide shortages — especially in the South-West, Nigeria’s largest LPG consumer.
He noted that LPG consumption in Nigeria has grown significantly, from 1.2 million metric tonnes three years ago to nearly 2 million metric tonnes today, making the market more sensitive to disruptions.
To mitigate costs, Olatunbosun advised consumers to purchase gas directly from registered bottling plants, warning that buying through intermediaries could lead to inflated prices.
“If you buy from third or fourth parties, the price goes up. At our registered plants, prices range between ₦1,000 and ₦1,300 per kilogram, depending on location and transport costs.”
He added that before the recent disruption, prices had dropped to as low as ₦950 to ₦1,050 in some areas.
“We’re working closely with the relevant authorities to restore stable supply and bring prices down in the coming days,” he assured.
