Retail Price of Cooking Gas Changes as NMDPRA Reports 11-Day Sufficiency, Depot Shortages Continue
- Nigeria's cooking gas market faces pressure amid fluctuating prices and low stock levels
- LPG supply shortfall reaches 400 metric tonnes daily, impacting market stability
- Significant retail price variations reflect ongoing distribution challenges across the country
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Nigeria's cooking gas market is facing renewed pressure as retail prices fluctuate across the country, despite the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reporting that the nation has an average Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stock sufficiency of 11 days.
The latest figures, reviewed by Petroleumprice.ng from the NMDPRA factsheet for May 2026, show that while supply remains available, growing demand and shortages at depots are beginning to strain the market.
Source: Getty Images
LPG records the lowest stock Cover
The report shows that LPG, popularly known as cooking gas, has the lowest stock cover among Nigeria's major petroleum products.
While Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, maintained a 16-day stock sufficiency, diesel (AGO) recorded 31 days, and aviation fuel (ATK) posted an impressive 94 days. In contrast, cooking gas had only an 11-day reserve, highlighting its vulnerability to supply disruptions.
The relatively low reserve has raised concerns among marketers and consumers, particularly as demand for LPG continues to rise across homes and businesses.
Demand outpaces supply
A key takeaway from the report is the widening gap between LPG supply and consumption.
According to the data, average daily LPG supply stood at 4,100 metric tonnes, while daily consumption averaged 4,500 metric tonnes. This leaves a supply shortfall of about 400 metric tonnes every day.
The imbalance is occurring at a time when several depots are reportedly struggling with product availability, making it more difficult for marketers to maintain steady supplies to consumers.
Industry players say the supply deficit, coupled with depot shortages, has increased pressure on prices and could trigger further volatility if replenishment does not improve.
Retail prices differ across locations
The NMDPRA data also reveals significant variations in cooking gas prices across the country.
Retail prices ranged from about ₦1,100 per kilogram to as high as ₦1,800 per kilogram, depending on location and prevailing supply conditions. The wide gap underscores persistent distribution challenges, even as authorities push to expand access to cleaner cooking energy nationwide.
Growing market faces supply risks
Despite these challenges, LPG consumption remains strong. Average daily consumption of 4.5 kilotonnes exceeded the NMDPRA's 2026 demand benchmark of 3.9 kilotonnes, reflecting the increasing adoption of cooking gas among Nigerian households and businesses.
Source: Getty Images
However, analysts warn that unless supply growth keeps pace with rising demand, the market could remain exposed to periodic shortages and price spikes.
The latest figures paint a mixed picture: Nigeria's cooking gas market is expanding steadily, but supply constraints and limited reserves continue to pose significant risks to price stability and product availability.
Marketers announce good news for cooking gas prices
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerians battling soaring cooking gas prices may soon have reasons to hope as industry marketers have projected a sharp decline in prices if the Federal Government fully implements ongoing reforms aimed at boosting domestic supply and easing distribution bottlenecks.
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) says the retail price of cooking gas could drop significantly to between N900 and N1,100 per kilogram by the end of 2026, a development that could bring major relief to millions of households currently grappling with record-high prices.
Speaking in Lagos, the President of NALPGAM, Mr Edu Inyang, explained that while Nigeria has made considerable progress in local Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) production, supply chain challenges, logistics costs and foreign exchange pressures continue to keep prices elevated.
Source: Legit.ng
