The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has drawn the attention of the Federal Government, government agencies, industry regulators, importers, LPG producers, depot owners, LPG consumers and the general public to the current state of the erratic supply and hike in price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) otherwise known as cooking gas in Nigeria.
The marketers said that it was sad and rather very pathetic that the citizens of Nigeria have woken up to buy cooking gas, which should be a social item at a prohibitive cost of over N1,500 per kg, while the marketers are made to pay as much as N25,200,000 or depending on location, N26,200,000 for 20MT of cooking gas.
The group added that if the situation is not immediately checked, the citizens may rise against the owners of gas filling stations.
These were contained in a statement on Sunday by National President, NALPGAM, Bar Edu Inyang and Executive Secretary, Mr Bassey Essien.
According to the group, the sad situation has brought untold hardship to millions of Nigerian households, small businesses, food vendors, and low-income families who rely on LPG for daily cooking and livelihood.
It said, “It is rather worrisome to state that this situation is seriously eroding the substantial progress made by the Government on the usage of Clean Energy in the country.
“For our members who are spread all over the country, they face challenges in sourcing LPG due to persistent supply shortages, high depot prices, logistics bottlenecks and uncontrollable rising operational costs. We observe that where the product is available, it is sold at rates far beyond the reach of average Nigerians.
“NALPGAM hereby observes that the current crisis is undermining years of progress achieved
through Federal Government policies, public-private investments, and awareness campaigns aimed at deepening LPG penetration and promoting clean cooking energy as a safer alternative to kerosene, charcoal, and firewood in Nigeria.
“While millions of Nigerians have embraced cooking gas as a result of the national clean energy transition agenda, it is sad to state that those gains are at risk as households are struggling to refill cylinders, small businesses are folding under rising energy costs, and many families are reverting to firewood and charcoal despite the serious implications for public health, environmental degradation, and deforestation.
“On the wider Socio-Economic Implications, NALPGAM warns that if urgent and coordinated
Actions are not taken immediately, the current crisis could trigger broader consequences, including accelerated food inflation, the collapse of small-scale LPG retail businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence, and a significant setback to Nigeria’s clean energy and climate commitments.”
The association called on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), domestic producers, terminal operators, international suppliers and all critical stakeholders in the LPG value chain to take urgent, coordinated steps to stabilise the market before it degenerates further.
NALPGAM therefore recommended immediate measures to improve the availability and accessibility of LPG nationwide; increase domestic LPG allocation to the Nigerian market; transparent and equitable distribution of available supply across regions and reduction of bottlenecks in product importation, storage, and distribution.
It also called for the implementation of strategic interventions to stabilise retail prices and protect consumers; investment in critical infrastructure, including storage and distribution facilities and adoption of policies that support affordability, sustainability, and long-term growth of the sector.
NALPGAM reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement and collaboration with government agencies, regulators, producers, and other stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that will guarantee an affordable, stable supply and continued growth of the LPG sector.
“We cannot stand by and watch millions of Nigerian families suffer in silence while access to clean cooking energy becomes increasingly difficult and unaffordable. For years, Government and industry operators have worked to move Nigerians away from unsafe fuels. Those gains are now under serious threat.
“Households cannot refill cylinders, small businesses are struggling to survive, and vulnerable households are returning to firewood and charcoal with dire health and environmental consequences.
“We therefore make a passionate and patriotic appeal to the Federal Government for urgent intervention to stabilise supply and pricing. NALPGAM is ready to collaborate to have lasting solutions, but decisive action is needed now.”
