Cooking gas prices remain high in Nigeria despite strike suspension. Supply disruptions in the South-West delay price normalization, says marketers

The price of cooking gas continues to soar across Lagos, Ogun, and other South-West states in Nigeria, even after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) suspended its strike last week.

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Residents report paying between N1,300 and N1,600 per kilogram, up from less than N1,000/kg before the strike began. Long queues and shortages persist as many gas stations run out of stock.

Oluwakemi Mobolaji from Ota, Ogun State, said, “I bought gas at N1,600, and it is still like that until this weekend.” Similarly, Abefe Taiwo from Ibadan reported paying N1,300 per kg at a local gas station.

Lagos resident Adeola questioned why prices remain high despite the strike suspension.

Speaking to The PUNCH, Olatunbosun Oladapo, National President of the National Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, explained that the shortage is mainly confined to the South-West.

The scarcity was triggered by maintenance work at the Dangote refinery, followed by the PENGASSAN strike, which delayed deliveries from the Nigerian LNG terminals.

Oladapo stated, “Dangote has resumed trucking products and started issuing pro forma invoices to off-takers. We expect supply to stabilize in two to three days as backlogs clear.”

Oil and gas expert Olajire Jeremiah noted that the nearly three-week halt in Dangote’s LPG sales created a vacuum.

Importers refrained from selling due to Dangote’s competitive pricing, leading to panic buying and inflated prices. Currently, Dangote sells LPG at N810 per kg, while other depots charge N910 to N920 per kg.

In Abuja, retail prices have soared to N1,400 per kg, with some retailers switching suppliers due to supply delays.

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Marketers assure Nigerians that continued trucking from depots and resumed sales by Dangote will normalize supply nationwide within the next one to two weeks. Consumers are advised to exercise patience as the market recovers.