Consumers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as Nigerian Cooking Gas, are sounding the alarm as the price of this essential commodity continues its relentless climb, posing a growing concern for everyday Nigerians.
Frustration and worry over the escalating cost of cooking gas, which seems impervious to resolution, have taken hold among the populace. In a series of interviews with Daily Sun over the weekend, concerned consumers expressed their grievances.
Mrs. Esther Aboyede, a distressed consumer, noted that the average price for a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder has surged from N10,000 to an alarming N12,500. Mr. Tunji Adekola, another consumer, joined the chorus of discontent, highlighting the disturbing and unaffordable price hike in recent months.
Adekola emphasized the paradox of Nigeria’s abundant gas reserves compared to its limited access, asserting that more citizens are being pushed below the poverty line, making cooking gas a luxury many can no longer afford. He reminisced about a time when a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder cost as little as N3,500, a far cry from today’s prices that range between N12,500 and N14,000, contingent on one’s location.
Tragically, these skyrocketing costs are driving some Nigerians to adopt unhealthy alternatives, resorting to using dirty fuels like firewood, sawdust, and kerosene, which pose serious health risks.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has corroborated these concerns in its recent in the Nigerian Cooking Gas Price Watch’ for September 2023, reporting a 0.58% month-on-month increase in the average price of refilling a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder, from N9,194.41 in August 2023 to N9,247.40 in September 2023. The data also revealed varying price profiles among states, with Kwara, Benue, and Adamawa recording the highest average prices for 5kg cooking gas.
President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Mr. Oladapo Olatunbosun, has issued a stern warning that if the Federal Government fails to intervene with importers and off-takers, prices could skyrocket to between N1,200 and N1,500 per kilogram by December 2023. This would only exacerbate the crisis, further driving consumers towards unhealthy cooking alternatives.
The LPG marketers have underscored the urgent need for intervention, as the price surge has led to declining patronage at gas plants across the country, with the cost of cooking gas reaching an all-time high of N14,000,000 per 20MT in some locations. In different parts of Lagos, the price per kilogram varies, while in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, the cost of cooking gas has also seen a significant increase, leaving consumers grappling with the consequences of this unprecedented price hike.
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