The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has surged again across Nigeria, worsening the financial strain on households already grappling with high living costs.

A DAILY POST correspondent who visited several parts of Abuja and its environs observed that the price of 1 kilogramme of cooking gas has risen to ₦1,500, up from ₦1,200 sold just last week.

At filling stations and gas outlets in Gwarimpa and Dawaki, the cost of 12.5kg cylinders jumped to ₦17,500, compared to ₦15,000 the previous week. Similarly, the NNPCL retail outlet along the Kubwa Expressway now sells 12.5kg at ₦15,000, up from ₦13,625.

The hike comes on the heels of rising depot prices. According to market data, Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot price for 20 metric tonnes of LPG currently stands at ₦15,800, while Ardova, NIPCO, and Shafa Energy are selling at ₦18,400.

However, several other major LPG marketers — including Shafa Energy, 11 Plc, AA Rano, Ranoil, and Matrix — reportedly have no supply at the moment, further deepening the scarcity.

Explaining the situation, Oladapo Olatunbosun, National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), attributed the hike to artificial scarcity created by opportunistic marketers.

“Some marketers are taking advantage of the shortage in supply and increased demand to hike prices. They’re cashing in to make quick profits, which is wrong,” Olatunbosun said.

The latest increase comes barely a week after prices appeared stable in some parts of the nation’s capital, where 1kg of LPG sold for as low as ₦1,200.

Now, with supplies dwindling in Lagos, Kano, and other major cities, experts warn that prices may rise even further unless the federal government intervenes to stabilise the market and boost domestic supply.