Residents of Lagos and Ogun states are facing worsening shortages and rising prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, as supply constraints push the cost of the essential household fuel sharply higher.
Many consumers have been forced to search across different locations for available supplies, with several retail outlets reporting empty stocks despite government assurances that efforts are underway to stabilise the market.
Retail prices have risen to between N2,000 and N2,300 per kilogramme, compared with about N1,200 per kilogramme in early May, putting additional pressure on households already dealing with high living costs.
Residents in parts of Lagos said many gas retailers had run out of stock, leaving only a few outlets selling at significantly higher prices.
In Isheri-Oke, Lagos State, residents said only a small number of retailers had supplies, with prices reaching around N2,200 per kilogramme. In Ikosi-Ketu, some consumers reported buying cooking gas at about N2,000 per kilogramme.
The situation has also affected communities in Ogun State. A resident in Mowe said retailers in the area were selling gas at around N2,200 per kilogramme, warning that prices could rise further if supply does not improve.
The shortage has pushed some households back to alternative cooking fuels such as charcoal and firewood, increasing demand and driving up prices of those products as well.
President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Iyang Edu, warned that the crisis could undermine years of government efforts to encourage Nigerians to switch from traditional fuels to cleaner cooking energy.
He said the shortage and price increase were forcing many households to return to charcoal and firewood, creating both economic and environmental concerns.
Edu said the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) had not increased its price, arguing that the current market pressure was largely linked to activities within the distribution chain, particularly at the depot level.
He alleged that some depot owners were restricting distribution despite receiving supplies, contributing to artificial shortages and price increases.
“If the product was released as received, there would not be scarcity and unnecessary price hikes,” Edu said, calling on regulators to examine how depot operators were distributing available supplies.
He also said Nigeria’s domestic LPG production remains insufficient to meet demand, adding that importers with licences have faced challenges bringing in additional supplies.
Edu said the association had engaged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on the issue, but that the regulator had mainly provided assurances that supply would improve.
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A depot operator, who spoke anonymously, attributed the price increase to market forces, saying demand had exceeded supply during the period.
The operator said disruptions in the international LPG market, including tensions in the Middle East, had affected supply chains, adding that LPG operates in a deregulated market similar to other petroleum products.
However, the government has rejected claims that local LPG supplies are being diverted for export.
Louis Ibah, spokesman for the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), said a ban on LPG exports remains in effect and is being enforced by the NMDPRA.
He said no producer was currently exporting LPG intended for the Nigerian domestic market and that marketers were working to increase imports to close the supply gap.
Ibah added that a new Seplat gas facility expected to begin supplying LPG to the domestic market in July would help improve availability.
He assured Nigerians that the government was working to ensure sustained gas supply for household cooking, industrial use and power generation.
The LPG shortage comes as Nigeria continues efforts to expand access to cleaner energy, with policymakers warning that prolonged supply challenges could slow progress in reducing dependence on charcoal and firewood.
