Nigerians are beginning to enjoy some relief from the high cost of cooking gas as improved product supply and declining depot prices drive down retail prices across parts of the country.
Findings showed that the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has started easing in several major cities, although the reduction varies from one location to another due to transportation costs, proximity to supply depots and retailers’ pricing structures.
Current market prices indicate that consumers in Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta now buy cooking gas at between ₦1,100 and ₦1,350 per kilogramme, while the product sells for between ₦1,150 and ₦1,400 per kilogramme in Benin, Port Harcourt and Warri.
Residents of Onitsha and Enugu pay between ₦1,200 and ₦1,450 per kilogramme, whereas prices in Abuja range from ₦1,250 to ₦1,500 per kilogramme.
National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Edu Inyang, said northern cities such as Kano and Kaduna currently record prices of ₦1,300 to ₦1,550 per kilogramme, while Maiduguri and some parts of the North-East remain the most expensive markets, with prices ranging from ₦1,350 to ₦1,650 per kilogramme because of higher transportation costs.
According to him, the prevailing national retail price now stands between ₦1,100 and ₦1,650 per kilogramme, although some neighbourhood retailers still charge above the range due to distribution and logistics expenses.
He attributed the downward trend to improved product availability from local producers and importers, lower depot prices, increased competition among marketers and the disappearance of panic buying that had earlier strained supply.
Inyang explained that while prices had begun to moderate in many locations, transport costs and distance from depots continued to create disparities across the country.
The reduction marks a significant shift from the sharp increase recorded in May, when supply shortages and rising depot prices pushed cooking gas costs to record levels.
Industry operators believe the latest development will provide some respite for households battling rising living costs, even as they cautioned that prices may continue to vary across locations because of distribution challenges.
At the current market rate, refilling a 5kg cylinder costs between ₦5,500 and ₦8,250, while a 6kg cylinder attracts between ₦6,600 and ₦9,900. A standard 12.5kg cylinder now costs between ₦13,750 and ₦20,625, depending on location.
Despite the decline, marketers warned that prices have yet to stabilise nationwide, noting that communities far from major LPG depots could continue to pay more because of higher transportation costs.
They, however, expressed optimism that sustained local production, supported by steady imports, would further moderate prices in the coming weeks if supply chains remain uninterrupted.
Also confirming the improvement, National Chairman of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Ayobami Olarinoye, said the market was gradually returning to normal.
He disclosed that neighbourhood retailers currently sell cooking gas at between ₦1,600 and ₦1,800 per kilogramme, while they purchase the product from plant operators at ₦1,300 to ₦1,500 per kilogramme, depending on location.
According to him, product availability has improved considerably, while prices are gradually responding to increased supply.
The development comes months after cooking gas prices surged by about 140 per cent, rising from an average of ₦1,000 per kilogramme in January and February to as much as ₦2,400 per kilogramme between May and June.
The spike forced the government to approve additional LPG import licences after local production failed to meet domestic demand.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, had warned operators against hoarding and profiteering in a bid to stabilise the market.
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