By Mary Onyia
Nigerian households are reeling under the burden of soaring cooking gas prices as the cost of essential commodities continues to rise unchecked.
Over the past two weeks, the price of a 12.5kg cylinder has jumped from ₦16,000 to ₦25,000, while a kilogram now sells between ₦2,200 and ₦3,000, depending on location. In some areas, a 6kg refill goes for as high as ₦18,000.
Residents say the situation is worse in Lagos, where prices tend to spike faster than in other parts of the country.
For Mrs. Nike Banwo, a housewife in Agege, Lagos, the struggle has become unbearable.
“I can’t imagine what this government expects of us,” she lamented. “It appears the government no longer has the people’s interest at heart.”
Mr. Augustine Oghene, a journalist, also voiced frustration over how families are expected to survive amid the sharp increases.
“I earn a modest salary as a reporter, and I have four children — two about to enter university,” he said. “How are we supposed to cope when prices of everything are pushing us over the cliff?”
While no official explanation was given for the sudden spike, industry reports linked the surge to the recent industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
According to Mr. Bassey Essien, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), the strike disrupted the supply chain and hindered the distribution of the product.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery is currently the largest local supplier of cooking gas,” he explained. “The crisis involving PENGASSAN scuttled distribution, and many dealers couldn’t restock. What we’re seeing is a basic issue of demand outstripping supply. Prices should stabilise as the conflict gets resolved.”
Dealers, however, insist they are not to blame for the price surge.
Chinwendu Abasi, a gas retailer, said,
“We sell as we buy. When prices drop, we’ll reduce ours too. We’re in business to make a profit, not to lose money.”
Meanwhile, frustration among Nigerians continues to deepen as the cost of living spirals out of control.
“It’s almost like the rich don’t want the poor to breathe,” Mrs. Banwo added, urging the Federal Government to intervene urgently before the situation worsens.