Cooking Gas Out of Reach for Nigerians as Prices Soars 58.68% YOY

Arthur Eriye

Data published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showed that the average price of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly called cooking, increased by 2.58 per cent month-on-month, rising to N16,313.43 in September 2024 to N16,734.55 in October 2024.

According to the latest Cooking Gas Price Watch report from NBS seen by THISDAY, on a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 58.68 per cent from N10,545.87 in October 2023.

State-by-State analysis showed that Rivers State records the highest average price for a 12.5kg cylinder at N17,895.00, followed by Osun at N17,739.06 and Benue at N17,731.25. Katsina reports the lowest price at N14,725.00, followed by Nasarawa at N15,390.55 and Adamawa at N15,474.21.

Regional analysis revealed that the South-South region reports the highest average price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N17,114.67, followed by the South-East at N16,906.19. The North-Central region records the lowest average price at N16,411.19.

The numbers also revealed that the average price of refilling 5Kg Cylinder of cooking gas On a Year-on-year basis, jumped by 51.58 per cent, climbing from N4,562.51 in October 2023 to N6,915.69 in October 2024.

Regional analysis revealed that the North-East recorded the highest average price for cooking gas, with residents paying N7,319.03 for a 5kg cylinder. Contrarily, the North-West reports the lowest regional average at N6,703.95, which is below the national average.

State-by-state breakdown showed Borno emerged as the state with the highest price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N7,939.29, followed by Yobe at N7,580.00 and Benue at N7,578.00. Katsina posts the lowest average price at N6,270.00, followed by Zamfara at N6,410.71 and Delta at N6,427.78.

What Nigerians are saying

Commenting, a businessman and father of Four, Mr Femi Adesida told THISDAY he had no choice than to adjust his budget to accommodate the increase in cooking gas price.

“When the prices of items increase, my first response is to adjust to accommodate my spending immediately, especially, for things like cooking gas that you cannot do without.  For instance, I have a 12.5kg cylinder, but I can’t remember that last time I filled it to that capacity. So what I do, I purchase like 5kg or a little more depending on the fund I have.

“If I spend close to N17,000 to buy gas alone, then meeting needs becomes a challenge; especially when your income has not is not increased. Government’s intervention is urgently needed at this time so Nigerians can breathe because we are not breathing,” he said.

A trader, Mrs Funmilola Aderibigbe said the increase in cooking gas had forced so many households to return to traditional cooking methods.

“The truth is that not many people can afford this current increase in price coupled with other expenses like food and transportation? My mum has gone back to using charcoal and I also use a charcoal stove as an alternative now. Nigerians are really suffering, it is time for the government to listen and hear the cries of Nigerians,” she said.

Experts have said that the continuous increase in cooking gas prices places additional pressure on households already struggling with the hike in food prices and transportation.

The solution, they said, is for the federal government to boost local production of LPG and address the foreign exchange issues to make importing the product cheaper so it becomes more affordable and accessible to Nigerians.