The retail price of cooking gas has climbed significantly in Lagos and some states of the federation following the scarcity of the commodity.
An investigation conducted by Nigeria’s Punch shows that the scarcity of the liquefied gas has impacted other states such as Katsina, Sokoto, Delta, Kaduna and Kano.
The price of cooking gas has been on the rise for some time now but peaked in the last one month.
The cooking gas terminal owners increased prices by 66 per cent in October alone. The price of 20 metric tons of cooking gas rose from N10m at the beginning of last month to N16 million as of late last month despite NLNG currently supplying 20MT of cooking gas to them at N9 million.
A market survey carried out by the newspaper over the weekend revealed that 12.5kg of cooking gas now sells for between N13,500 and N14,000 at the black market.
Some traders claimed that the gas plant owners now sell to them at between N1100-N1200 per 1kg as they could not access enough quantity.
As of June, the price of 12.5kg was around N8,700. In September price rose to N10,200, and as of Saturday, the price had again risen to between N13,500-N14,000.
The President, Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, Oladapo Olatunbosun told the newspaper there is currently not enough cooking gas in Lagos state.
“In my own gas plant, I sell at N950 per 1kg. So, by all means, the masses should try not to patronise those that don’t have gas plants because they will also add their profit. Those people are also part of the problem we are facing in the country.
