Cooking gas price hits ₦ 2,000/kg in Lagos as import costs, supply crisis worsen

Precious Omolu 14:52 - 25 May 2026

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Cooking gas prices have hit a record ₦2,000 per kilogramme in parts of Lagos, driven by a perfect storm of high import costs and a biting supply shortage.

Cooking gas prices in Nigeria have surged sharply, with LPG selling for as high as ₦2,000 per kilogramme in Lagos due to rising import costs, forex pressure and worsening supply shortages.

Cooking gas prices rose across Nigeria, with some Lagos residents paying up to ₦2,000 per kg because of supply shortages and high import costs.
Marketers reduced LPG imports due to foreign exchange pressure and rising landing costs, causing tighter supply nationwide.
Consumers and small business owners say the increase is hurting their income and may force many households back to using firewood and kerosene.

The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), widely known as cooking gas, has surged sharply across several parts of Nigeria, with residents in Lagos now paying as high as ₦2,000 per kilogramme in some areas amid worsening supply shortages and rising import costs.

Findings across Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities show that the latest increase is being driven by foreign exchange pressure, higher landing costs and reduced importation by marketers, a development that is tightening supply nationwide.

In many parts of Lagos, consumers say the situation has become unbearable as cooking gas prices continue to rise almost weekly.

Roadside retailers in areas like Alakuko and Berger are forced to hike prices to ₦1,800–₦2,000 per kg to cover rising ex-depot costs and maintain slim profit margins.

At Alakuko area of Lagos, retail prices now range between ₦1,800 and ₦2,000 per kilogramme depending on the outlet, while nearby Atan in Ogun State records prices between ₦1,600 and ₦1,800 per kilogramme.

At Primeview Gas Plant in Obere, Atan, cooking gas sold for around ₦1,450 per kilogramme, though independent retailers around Berger, Warewa and Arepo were charging between ₦1,700 and ₦1,800 per kilogramme.

Along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor, Sungas Filling Station in Aseese sold gas at around ₦1,600 per kilogramme, pushing the cost of refilling a 12kg cylinder to nearly ₦19,200.

Industry operators say the crisis deepened after several importers either reduced or temporarily stopped LPG importation because of the rising cost of bringing products into the country.

A major marketer, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said ex-depot prices jumped significantly within a few days, creating panic in the downstream market.

According to the source, only a few suppliers currently have available stock in Lagos, worsening the pressure on retail prices.

“The ex-depot price moved to around ₦1,500 per kilogramme over the weekend and it immediately affected the retail market,” the source explained.

The increase has triggered frustration among households and small business owners who rely heavily on cooking gas for daily activities.

At a gas station on Oba-Akran Road in Ikeja, residents said gas sold for ₦1,500 per kilogramme over the weekend, up from ₦1,300 just one week earlier after an earlier ₦50 increase.

Small business owners who rely on LPG for daily trade say the weekly price hikes are wiping out their profits and threatening their survival.

One trader who uses gas for her egg business said the constant increase was affecting her profit and daily survival.

“What are we supposed to do? I am tired of all this. I only manage to survive with this little business. I use the gas to boil eggs so I can sell and have something to eat with my family,” she said.

She added that roadside retailers now charge even more because they buy from larger stations and resell at added profit margins.

“Even at this price, it is still cheaper because those who buy and resell on the street will sell it for ₦1,700 to ₦1,800 because they also need to make a profit after buying from Oba-Akran,” she added.

Another petty trader also complained about the repeated increases.

“We use this gas to sell in the market. Tell me how much we are making from this petty business that gas will just keep going up every time,” she said.

In Abuja, market checks showed prices were also rising gradually. Some residents in Wuse said depot prices hovered around ₦1,400 per kilogramme, while roadside sellers charged between ₦1,650 and ₦1,750.

In Bida, Niger State, residents said cooking gas remained slightly cheaper compared to Lagos and Ogun, but prices had continued to climb steadily, with many outlets selling around ₦1,600 per kilogramme.

Port Harcourt traders reported even tighter supply conditions, with some depots selling between ₦1,700 and ₦1,800 per kilogramme due to shortages.

While projects like the new 50,000 MT storage facility in Onne aim to stabilize long-term supply, Nigeria’s current storage capacity remains far below the national requirement.

Industry stakeholders warn that if the trend continues, many low-income households could return to using firewood and kerosene for cooking, reversing years of gradual adoption of cleaner cooking energy.

Experts say Nigeria’s LPG market still struggles with inadequate infrastructure despite growing demand. Current storage capacity is estimated at about 800,000 metric tonnes, far below the country’s projected requirement of five million metric tonnes.

Meanwhile, NESGAS Limited recently secured a $200 million contractor financing agreement with Cakasa Nigeria Limited for the development of a 50,000-metric-tonne LPG storage facility in Onne, Rivers State, a project expected to improve long-term storage and distribution once completed.

Nigeria is considered one of Africa’s fastest-growing LPG markets, with industry projections placing the sector’s value at nearly $10 billion, but recurring supply disruptions and forex instability continue to keep prices volatile for consumers.