A shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, commonly known as cooking gas, has affected several states in Nigeria, including Lagos, Katsina, Sokoto, Delta, Kaduna, and Kano.
This scarcity has led to a sharp increase in the price of cooking gas in recent weeks.
Gas terminal owners raised prices by 66% in October, despite the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited supplying gas at a lower cost.
According to the PUNCH, a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas is now selling for between N13,500 and N14,000 on the black market.
The price increase has been substantial; in June, the same cylinder cost around N8,700, and in September, it had risen to N10,200.
A dealer, Chief Sunday Oladele operating an outlet in Ilorin stated that cooking gas at his outlet is being sold at N1,200 per kilogram.
“Cooking gas is available in Kwara state. I have it in my outlet which I sell at N1,200 per kg. We have not experienced scarcity in Kwara. There is also gas at Ogbomoso in Oyo state where I have another outlet and it is being sold at N1,100 per kg,” Oladele said.
Consumers in states like Abuja and Kwara have also not reported a shortage of cooking gas but have noted that it has become more expensive, with 12.5kg cylinders selling for around N13,500.
Oladapo Olatunbosun, the President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, has urged consumers not to buy from businesses without their gas plants to avoid added costs.
He said, “Those people are also part of the problem we are facing in the country.”
In response to the situation, the Federal Government summoned the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in October to address rising prices and bring order to the market.
Terminal owners have argued that high foreign exchange rates and the rising prices of crude oil on the international market have contributed to the price increases.
