- Domestic LPG production rose to 4,500 tonnes per day while imports dropped sharply, reducing Nigeria’s reliance on foreign supplies.
- Despite increased local output, cooking gas prices have climbed to as high as ₦2,000 per kilogramme due to supply chain bottlenecks and market challenges.
Nigeria’s domestic production of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has increased substantially over the past year, yet consumers nationwide continue to face soaring prices.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) shows that local refineries and gas processing plants supplied the majority of the country’s LPG needs between April 2025 and April 2026. As a result, Nigeria significantly reduced its reliance on imports.
During the review period, domestic LPG supply consistently ranged between 3,300 and 4,500 tonnes per day. Production reached 4,500 tonnes daily in both March and April 2026, accounting for most of the country’s available cooking gas supply.
Oil marketers sharply reduced LPG imports. Imported volumes dropped to just 200 tonnes per day in March 2026, compared to 1,600 tonnes per day in November 2025 and 1,500 tonnes per day in December 2025.
Overall LPG availability remained relatively strong, with total daily supply ranging from 4,200 tonnes to 5,200 tonnes. Supply peaked at 5,200 tonnes per day in December 2025 before easing to 4,500 tonnes by April 2026.
Industry observers attribute the stronger domestic supply to increased output from gas processing facilities and expanded refining capacity, including supplies linked to the Dangote Refinery.
However, greater domestic production has failed to reduce the financial burden on consumers. Market surveys indicate that cooking gas, which sold for less than N1,000 per kilogramme in many areas only months ago, now sells for around N2,000 per kilogramme in some locations.
Marketers say persistent supply chain challenges and distribution difficulties continue to disrupt product availability. They report that sourcing LPG has become increasingly difficult in certain markets, contributing to higher prices and occasional shortages.
Consequently, many households have begun returning to alternative cooking fuels such as charcoal and firewood. This trend threatens Nigeria’s clean cooking ambitions and raises fresh environmental concerns.
Meanwhile, several critical gas infrastructure projects are approaching completion. Data from the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) shows that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project has reached 93.40 per cent completion, while the OB3 River Niger Crossing stands at 93.88 per cent.
Similarly, the ELPS Midline Compressor Project has achieved 94.45 per cent completion. The Odidi-Warri Expansion Project has reached 70.28 per cent completion, while the Escravos-Odidi Project remains at an early stage with 17.49 per cent completion.
NGIC describes the AKK, OB3 and ELPS projects as almost complete, suggesting they could soon strengthen gas transportation capacity across the country and support more efficient product distribution.
Although stakeholders believe these projects could improve LPG availability and further reduce import dependence, they caution that infrastructure upgrades alone will not solve the pricing crisis. They argue that policymakers must address market inefficiencies, transportation challenges and distribution bottlenecks to achieve meaningful price relief for consumers.
The situation comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to expand domestic gas utilisation and improve national energy security.
Recently, the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) warned of worsening supply instability and rising costs. The association revealed that marketers currently pay between N25.2 million and N26.2 million for 20 metric tonnes of LPG.
NALPGAM President Edu Inyang and Executive Secretary Bassey Essien described the trend as alarming and warned that continued price increases could deepen hardship for households, food vendors, small businesses and low-income families that depend on cooking gas for their daily activities.
The association also cautioned that the ongoing crisis could reverse years of progress achieved through government initiatives designed to expand LPG adoption and promote cleaner cooking energy solutions across Nigeria.