Households across parts of Nigeria are beginning to experience relief as retail
prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, decline
following improved product supply and softer depot prices.
The latest market update from gas marketers showed that retail LPG prices have
started easing in major cities after weeks of elevated prices, although the
reductions have not been uniform because of varying transportation costs,
distance from supply depots and retailer margins.
Checks by marketers indicated that cooking gas is now selling for between
N1,100 and N1,350 per kilogramme in Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta, while
consumers in Benin City, Port Harcourt and Warri are paying between N1,150
and N1,400/kg.
In Onitsha and Enugu, retail prices range from N1,200 to N1,450/kg, while
consumers in Abuja pay between N1,250 and N1,500/kg.
The National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Marketers, Edu Inyang, told our correspondent that northern cities, including
Kano and Kaduna, currently record prices of N1,300 to N1,550/kg, while
consumers in Maiduguri and parts of the North-East still pay the highest prices,
ranging from N1,350 to N1,650/kg, reflecting the additional logistics costs of
transporting products to the region.
Overall, Inyang said the national retail price range now stands at approximately
N1,100 to N1,650 per kilogramme, although some neighbourhood retailers
continue to charge above the range where transportation and distribution costs
remain elevated.
The improvement marks a reversal from the sharp increases witnessed from
May, when supply tightness and rising depot prices pushed cooking gas costs
significantly higher across several parts of the country.
According to the NALPGAM president, the latest decline follows improved
product availability from both domestic production and imports, as well as
lower depot prices. He also attributed the easing to increased competition
among marketers and the disappearance of panic buying that had briefly
tightened supplies.
“Following reports of improved LPG supply and softer depot prices in late June
2026, retail cooking gas prices have started easing in some markets, although
the reduction has not been uniform across Nigeria. Transport costs, distance
from depots, and retailer margins still create noticeable differences between
cities.
“Overall, the national retail range is roughly N1,100 to N1,650 per kilogramme,
with some neighbourhood retailers charging slightly above this range where
logistics costs remain high. The recent easing reflects lower depot prices as
supply improved, increased product availability from domestic sources and
imports, reduced panic buying and hoarding after government market
interventions, and more competition among marketers in major cities,” Inyang
said.
The development is expected to provide some relief to households grappling
with rising living costs, although industry players noted that prices may
continue to differ from one location to another depending on local distribution
expenses.
Based on the prevailing retail prices, a 5kg cylinder refill now costs between
N5,500 and N8,250, while a 6kg refill ranges from N6,600 to N9,900. Inyang
said consumers refilling a standard 12.5kg cylinder are expected to pay between
N13,750 and N20,625, depending on location and retailer.
Despite the improvement, marketers cautioned that retail prices are yet to
stabilise nationwide, noting that communities located farther from major LPG
depots may continue to experience relatively higher prices because of
transportation costs.
Industry operators expressed optimism that sustained product availability from
local producers, alongside steady imports, would further moderate prices in the
coming weeks, provided there were no major disruptions to supply or logistics.
Cooking gas prices rose from an average of N1,000 per kilogramme in January
and February this year to as high as N2,400 between May and June.
Consequently, the regulator began issuing licences for the importation of LPG.
This followed the inability of local LPG producers to meet domestic demand,
according to industry operators.