Despite official figures suggesting a decline, the cost of cooking gas has sharply risen across Lagos and Ogun states, leaving households struggling with daily queues and inflated prices.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the average cost of refilling a 5kg Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder fell from N8,243.79 in July to N6,404.02 in August 2025. However, a market survey by The Guardian shows retail prices telling a different story, with a kilogram of gas now selling between N1,800 and N3,500.
In Lagos, one consumer described the experience of refilling her cylinder as “frustrating and exhausting,” noting that long queues had become a daily ordeal.
She explained that retailers charged as high as N3,500 per kilogram, while filling stations offered slightly lower rates at N2,500 but with hundreds of customers waiting their turn.
“I spent hours searching for gas yesterday and gave up,” she lamented, adding that the situation has become unbearable, pushing households to consider electric or charcoal alternatives.
In Ogun State, residents said they paid between N2,000 and N2,500 per kilogram, despite the stress of sourcing the product. Similarly, in Igando, consumers reported spending between N1,800 and N2,000 depending on location. Many described the product as both expensive and increasingly scarce.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Olatunbosun Oladapo, attributed the crisis to a temporary supply distortion caused by the PENGASSAN strike and internal maintenance at the Dangote Refinery.
He assured that the situation was temporary, noting that once supply stabilises, prices are expected to ease. But for now, consumers remain trapped in the daily struggle of sourcing affordable cooking gas.
