Precious Anga
Lagos — A sharp decline in the landing cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, has renewed concerns over the wide gap between import costs and retail prices paid by Nigerian consumers.
Latest data from the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) shows that the landing cost of LPG dropped to about ₦950,000 per metric tonne, a development that should ordinarily translate to a retail price of roughly ₦925 per kilogramme.
However, consumers across major cities continue to pay significantly higher prices, with cooking gas selling for as much as ₦2,400 per kilogramme in some locations. Even among larger distributors, prices remain around ₦1,800 per kilogramme, almost double the level implied by current import costs.
The latest figures have raised fresh questions about pricing dynamics within the domestic LPG market and whether the benefits of lower international prices are reaching end-users.
The decline in landing costs reflects easing global market conditions and lower import expenses for marketers. Industry observers say the trend should provide relief for households already grappling with rising living costs and persistent inflation.
Despite this, millions of Nigerians have yet to experience any meaningful reduction in cooking gas prices.
The situation is particularly worrying because LPG has become an increasingly important household fuel, promoted by government and industry stakeholders as a cleaner alternative to firewood, charcoal and kerosene.
As prices remain elevated, many families are being forced to cut consumption or return to traditional cooking fuels, a shift that could undermine efforts to improve environmental sustainability and public health.
Energy analysts warn that sustained high retail prices could slow Nigeria’s transition to cleaner cooking energy, especially among low-income households.
They argue that market operators and regulators must work together to address bottlenecks within the supply chain and improve pricing transparency to ensure consumers benefit from lower import costs.
The development comes at a time when stakeholders are intensifying calls for targeted interventions to make cooking gas more affordable and accelerate adoption across the country.
With landing costs now significantly lower than prevailing retail prices, attention is expected to focus on how quickly market forces respond and whether consumers will finally see meaningful reductions in the cost of cooking gas.
