The price of cooking gas (LPG) has skyrocketed across major Nigerian cities, with severe scarcity driving the cost in Lagos to between ₦2,500 and ₦3,000 per kilogram (kg).
In Lagos, the cost to refill a standard 12.5kg cylinder has jumped to as much as ₦26,000. While prices in Abuja are slightly lower at about ₦20,000 for a 12.5kg cylinder (₦1,600 per kg), residents are struggling with widespread stock-outs at gas plants, leaving limited supply to street vendors at inflated rates.
Observers attribute the sudden spike and scarcity to a recent, brief industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) at the Dangote Refinery. The disruption temporarily halted distribution, exposing the extreme vulnerability of the country’s domestic gas supply.
Experts warn that if the scarcity continues, more households may resort to dangerous alternatives like firewood and kerosene, creating health and environmental hazards.
