Special Reports

Nigerian govt unveils measures to boost LPG supply, ease rising cooking gas prices

The federal government has outlined measures aimed at increasing the supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and stabilising prices amid a recent surge in cooking gas costs across the country.

The federal government has unveiled a series of measures to address the recent surge in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices and to improve nationwide supply.

“The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources has convened an emergency stakeholders’ engagement to address the recent increase in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices and develop coordinated measures to improve supply, affordability and market stability across the country,” the statement said.

According to the NMDPRA, the meeting brought together key government officials, regulators, producers, marketers, terminal operators and industry associations to examine factors driving the increase in LPG prices and agree on practical interventions to strengthen the value chain.

The engagement comes amid a sharp rise in cooking gas prices nationwide. Late last month, LPG prices climbed to about N2,000 per kilogramme in Lagos and over N1,600 per kilogramme in parts of Abuja, up from about N1,200 per kilogramme in previous weeks.

The increase has heightened concerns among marketers about worsening supply shortages and rising operational costs, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis in the country.

Speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Patience Oyekunle, described LPG as a critical energy source for households and a key component of Nigeria’s energy transition agenda.

She said the rise in LPG prices is placing additional pressure on household budgets and increasing the cost of essential goods and services, underscoring the need for coordinated action to improve access to affordable cooking gas.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said President Bola Tinubu is concerned about the impact of rising LPG prices on Nigerians and has directed relevant agencies to take proactive measures to address the situation.

Mr Ekpo stressed that efforts to increase supply must be supported by efficient logistics, improved infrastructure and transparent pricing mechanisms to ensure consumers benefit from interventions across the sector.

The Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Rabiu Umar, noted that high landing costs continue to influence LPG prices but expressed optimism that ongoing interventions across the value chain would help ease market pressures in the coming weeks.

He added that the authority is working with producers and other stakeholders to increase domestic supply, strengthen market oversight and improve product availability.

In a presentation delivered by the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Ogbugo Ukoha, the NMDPRA identified infrastructure gaps, domestic supply constraints, logistics challenges, market distortions and global supply disruptions as major factors affecting LPG prices.

The authority also reported improvements following recent engagements with producers, suppliers and terminal operators.

According to the presentation, national LPG supply sufficiency increased from 11 days to 22 days, while average daily supply rose from 4,262 metric tonnes in May 2026 to 5,040 metric tonnes in June 2026.

Stakeholders across the LPG value chain pledged support for the government’s efforts while highlighting challenges related to storage, transportation, distribution and overall market efficiency.

Measures agreed at the meeting include intensified market monitoring, stricter enforcement against malpractice, expansion of storage and distribution infrastructure, increased domestic production, improved product-tracking systems, enhanced access to market data and stronger collaboration among industry players.

In his closing remarks, Mr Ekpo directed stakeholders to take immediate steps to improve supply, eliminate inefficiencies and protect consumers.

He said the success of the interventions would be measured by increased LPG availability, improved distribution efficiency and reduced price pressures across the country.