From N700 to Over N2,500/kg: How Cooking Gas Prices Soared in Nigeria Since 2023 Under Tinubu
- Cooking gas prices in Nigeria have surged over 300% since early 2023, burdening households nationwide
- Experts cite foreign exchange volatility and high logistics costs as key factors driving gas price increases
- The government has been urged to enhance LPG imports and invest in local production to stabilise the market
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
For millions of Nigerian households, cooking gas, once seen as a cleaner and more affordable alternative to kerosene and firewood, has increasingly become a luxury.
Since 2023, the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, has witnessed a dramatic surge, putting additional pressure on families already battling inflation and rising living costs.
Source: UGC
The sharp increase has forced many households to cut consumption, revert to traditional cooking fuels, or ration their gas usage to make cylinders last longer.
LPG sold below N700/kg in early 2023
At the beginning of 2023, the average retail price of cooking gas in many parts of Nigeria ranged between N650 and N700 per kilogram. Refilling a standard 12.5kg cylinder costs around N8,000 to N9,000, depending on location.
The relatively moderate pricing encouraged many Nigerians to embrace LPG as the preferred cooking fuel.
Government campaigns promoting cleaner energy also boosted adoption, with hopes that gas would remain affordable in the long run.
However, the optimism proved short-lived.
The first major shock came in 2023
By the second half of 2023, LPG prices began climbing steadily. The removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market triggered a wave of inflation across the energy sector.
Importers faced higher costs due to the depreciation of the naira, while transportation expenses rose significantly. As a result, the average price of cooking gas climbed to between N900 and N1,100 per kilogram.
Many Nigerians started feeling the pinch, as refill costs for a 12.5kg cylinder crossed the N12,000 mark.
2024: prices cross the N1,500 barrier
The upward trend continued throughout 2024. Supply constraints, foreign exchange volatility and rising international LPG prices pushed retail prices even higher.
By the end of 2024, cooking gas sold for N1,300 to N1,600 per kilogram across major cities, while some areas recorded even higher prices.
A 12.5kg cylinder that cost less than N9,000 at the start of 2023 was now costing close to N20,000, placing enormous strain on household budgets.
2025 and 2026: The sharpest increase yet
The biggest shock came between late 2025 and 2026.
Retail prices surged above N2,000 per kilogram, with some filling stations and gas plants selling LPG at N2,300 to N2,500 per kilogram.
This means refilling a 12.5kg cylinder now costs between N28,000 and N32,000, depending on location.
Compared to early 2023, when the same quantity cost less than N9,000, Nigerians are now paying more than three times the previous amount for cooking gas.
Before and after: A stark comparison
Period | Average Price per kg | Cost of 12.5 kg cylinder |
Early 2023 | N650 -N700 | N8,000 - N9,000 |
Late 2023 | N900 - N1,100 | N11,000 - N14,000 |
End of 2024 | N1,300 - N1,600 | N16,000 - N20,000 |
Mid-2026 | N2,300 - N2,500 | N28,000 - N32,000 |
The figures highlight the steep rise in cooking gas prices and the growing financial burden on consumers.
Why are prices rising so fast?
Industry experts attribute the surge to a combination of factors, including:
- Heavy dependence on imported LPG despite Nigeria's vast gas reserves.
- Foreign exchange volatility and the depreciation of the naira.
- Rising international prices of LPG.
- High logistics and transportation costs.
- Distribution bottlenecks and inadequate storage infrastructure.
"It all comes down to policies. Many of us believed that subsidy removal was ill-timed and poorly executed. You cannot remove subsidy without providing adequate buffer for the citizens," financial analyst Osas Igho, told Legit.ng in a telephone interview.
Igho said Nigerians and consumers have not recovered from the impact of the abrupt removal of subsidies from petroleum products.
Although Nigeria is one of Africa's largest producers of natural gas, domestic supply has remained insufficient to meet growing demand, forcing marketers to rely heavily on imports.
What lies ahead?
As prices continue to rise, the Federal Government has urged marketers to increase LPG imports and boost supply to stabilise the market. Stakeholders are also calling for greater investment in local gas production, storage facilities and distribution networks.
For now, however, millions of Nigerians remain caught between rising costs and shrinking incomes, hoping for relief as cooking gas, a basic household necessity, becomes increasingly expensive.
Source: Getty Images
The journey from less than N700 per kilogram in 2023 to more than N2,500 per kilogram in 2026 tells a painful story of how quickly an essential commodity can move beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Cooking gas scarcity worsens nationwide
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria’s cooking gas crisis is worsening, with fresh scarcity driving prices sharply higher across Lagos, Abuja and several other states, forcing many households to abandon Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for charcoal and firewood.
Retailers and marketers say the situation remains dire despite the arrival of new LPG shipments into the country, warning that prices may continue rising if urgent government intervention fails to materialise.
In many neighbourhood retail outlets, cooking gas now sells for as much as N2,400 per kilogramme, leaving consumers struggling with soaring energy costs amid worsening economic hardship.
Source: Legit.ng
