The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has ordered a clampdown on marketers allegedly hoarding or exploiting consumers following the recent surge in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the minister’s spokesperson, Louis Ibah.
In recent weeks, the price of cooking gas has jumped from about ₦1,000 per kilogramme to nearly ₦2,000/kg in some locations across the country. The sharp rise followed the industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery.
Although the strike was suspended almost two weeks ago, prices have remained high while scarcity persists.
Expressing concern over the development, Ekpo appealed for calm, assuring Nigerians that the situation was temporary and would normalise by next week.
According to him, the spike in prices was caused by two main factors — the PENGASSAN strike at the Dangote Refinery and ongoing maintenance work at the Nigeria LNG Train 4 facility.
He explained that the strike action temporarily halted LPG loading, while the maintenance activity at NLNG reduced the volume of gas available for domestic use, creating a demand–supply imbalance.
The minister, however, disclosed that the situation was gradually improving, as operations had resumed at the Dangote Refinery, with LPG loading to the domestic market already underway.
He added that the Bonny River Terminal operated by Seplat Energy had also commenced loading, while NLNG was nearing completion of its maintenance and resuming normal operations.
“With these developments, supply to the domestic market is expected to stabilise by next week, leading to a gradual reduction in prices,” Ekpo said.
The minister reiterated that the LPG market remains deregulated and urged marketers, distributors, and other players along the gas value chain to be patriotic in their dealings. He warned them against hoarding or exploiting consumers for profit.
To ensure compliance, Ekpo directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify monitoring of LPG depots nationwide to curb hoarding and other sharp practices that could worsen the current situation.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring adequate and affordable gas supply to households across Nigeria.
