Hardship: Cooking Gas Price Hikes To N1,500/kg

As Nigerians struggle with the high cost of petrol, the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, has also increased to N1,500/kg.

But the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIPCO Plc, Suresh Kumar, said the Dangote refinery and other domestic refineries would bring down the price of cooking gas, expressing concerns that over 60 per cent of cooking gas consumed in Nigeria is being imported.

Checks by newsmen confirmed that the prices of cooking gas peaked at N1,500/kg in some retail outlets in Ogun and Lagos States as of Sunday.

In Abuja, the average price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas has increased by 41.6 per cent to N17,000 in different areas.

The Publication reports that the same commodity sold for N12,000 in July and N11,735 in January 2024.

This sharp price rise reflects ongoing trends in the market and may have implications for consumers, many of whom rely on LPG for their daily cooking needs.

In August, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, promised to ensure a reduction in the rising cost of a kilogram of cooking gas.

Ekpo noted that he would invite the regulators and the gas producers to find ways to bring down the cost.

However, a new market survey conducted by newsmen on Sunday revealed that the price has not decreased; instead, it has risen even further.

An analysis showed that the product currently sells for N17,000 in Lokogoma area of the FCT, an increase of 41.6 per cent from N12,000 vendors sold to customers three months ago. This means one kilogram of gas was sold for N1,400.

In Kubwa, the product was sold between N16,200 and N16,500 from N12,000 previously charged. But in the outskirt area of Bwari, Kurudu and Jikwoyi, the product sold for N1,300.

Some major distributors still sell the product between N1,300 and N1,400 depending on the location.

The Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Ola Oresanya, once told one of our correspondents that many might resort to charcoal for cooking if the price of LPG continues to rise.

However, speaking at the just-concluded National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers 2024, held in Lagos, Kumar, revealed that local production of LPG remains inadequate, urging the Federal Government to encourage Chevron to convert more of its propane output into propane.

“Currently, less than 40 per cent of the 1.5 million metric tonnes consumed domestically is produced locally. This is why the government must encourage companies like Chevron to convert more of their propane output into butane, which is more suitable for domestic use,” he explained.

Responding to questions about the rising cost of LPG amid a blend of local and imported supply, the managing director expressed optimism that prices would decline as domestic production improves, especially as the local refineries source crude oil locally.

“With the Dangote refinery and other refineries now sourcing crude oil in local currency, the volume of LPG produced locally is expected to increase, which will, in turn, drive down the price of the commodity,” the MD explained.

He added, “There is hope that the reliance on imported LPG will decrease, which will positively influence the prices at which the product is sold domestically. Greater local production will make LPG more affordable since it reduces exposure to foreign exchange fluctuations and international pricing dynamics.”