Many Nigerians have expressed concern over the sharp increase in the price of cooking gas, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as the product now sells for as high as N2,000 per kilogramme in some parts of the country.
Findings by The Guardian showed that the rising cost has continued to worsen the financial burden on households already struggling with high food prices, transportation costs and electricity challenges.
Residents of Lagos and Ogun states who spoke on the development said the continuous increase has forced many families to ration cooking, reduce gas usage and alter meal patterns.
In Ijegemo area of Lagos, consumers disclosed that cooking gas was being sold for about N2,000 per kilogramme, making it one of the highest rates recorded.
Residents in Ejigbo and Isolo said refill stations dispensed gas at around N1,700 per kilogramme, while consumers in Egbeda and Agege reported prices averaging N1,500 per kilogramme.
Some residents in Ota, Ogun State, also said they purchased cooking gas at N1,700 per kilogramme, although a few outlets still sold at N1,500.
A resident of Ijegemo, Funmilayo Adebayo, said the increase had made gas refilling more difficult for many households.
She explained that what used to be a routine household expense now requires serious financial planning because many families can no longer comfortably afford the product.
According to her, meals that require long cooking hours, including beans and some local dishes, are gradually disappearing from family menus because of the high cost of gas.
Another resident, Sodiq Lawal, said many households now live in fear of another increase in gas prices.
He noted that prices vary from one vendor to another, but the overall reality remains that cooking gas has become expensive everywhere.
For small business owners who rely heavily on gas, the situation has also become more challenging.
A food vendor in Isolo, Rukayat Bello, said the increase was affecting profit margins and forcing food sellers to adjust prices.
She explained that customers often complain about rising food prices without understanding the increasing operational costs caused by the price of cooking gas.
In Egbeda, where the product was sold for about N1,500 per kilogramme, residents said the price still remained beyond the reach of many average families.
A civil servant, Chinedu Okafor, said the varying prices across communities had also created confusion among consumers.
He noted that despite the price differences, cooking gas remained generally expensive across the country, with ordinary Nigerians bearing the burden.
The development comes amid concerns by stakeholders in the LPG sector over supply challenges, foreign exchange pressures, logistics costs and uncertainties affecting distribution across the country.
Industry operators have repeatedly warned that persistent increases in cooking gas prices could discourage the adoption of cleaner cooking energy among households.
Many consumers, however, insist that cooking gas, once promoted as an affordable alternative energy source, is gradually becoming unaffordable for average Nigerians.
