The sharp and persistent surge in cooking gas prices across Nigeria is endangering the country’s clean energy transition agenda. With prices climbing to as high as ₦3,000 per kilogram in parts of Lagos and ₦1,600 in Abuja, millions of households are abandoning Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and returning to firewood and charcoal — a setback that threatens environmental sustainability and public health.
Across major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, prices of LPG have soared sharply within weeks. In some Lagos neighborhoods like Apapa, Ketu, and Surulere, prices recently ranged between ₦1,300 and ₦1,500 per kilogram, while in areas around Abuja such as Nyanya and Mararaba, consumers paid up to ₦1,600/kg. The cost of refilling a standard 12.5kg cylinder now averages around ₦20,500, up from about ₦10,000 earlier this year, squeezing both households and small business owners.
Food vendors and low-income earners are bearing the heaviest burden. “I used to fill my gas cylinder for ₦8,500; now it’s ₦15,000,” lamented Musa Abdul, a resident of Nyanya. Vendors like Mrs. Blessing Ogar and Ms. Esther in Mararaba and Gwarimpa say the price hikes are eating up profits and forcing them to consider reverting to charcoal, which is also becoming costly. Retailers, however, defend the increases, blaming higher depot prices, transportation costs, and supply disruptions for the spike.
Energy experts warn that without urgent government intervention, Nigeria’s goal of transitioning 30 million households to clean cooking energy by 2030 could fail. Dr. Bala Zakka, an energy analyst, described it as “a tragic irony that a country with over 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves cannot make LPG affordable.” Analysts like Dr. Nnimmo Brimah and Mrs. Adaobi Okonkwo also linked the crisis to foreign exchange pressures, overreliance on imports, and the removal of energy subsidies — calling for tax incentives, investment in modular gas plants, and policy reforms to stabilize the sector.
The Federal Government has vowed to clamp down on hoarders and stabilize supply following temporary disruptions caused by industrial actions at the Dangote refinery and maintenance works at the Nigeria LNG facility. But with prices still high and households reverting to dirtier fuels, the country’s energy transition plan — aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 — hangs in the balance. Unless urgent steps are taken to expand domestic gas production and ensure affordability, Nigeria’s clean energy dream could remain out of reach for millions of its citizens.
source: nairametrics