Cooking gas prices have reached an all-time high in Nigeria, with some parts of Lagos now selling at ₦3,000 per kilogram, forcing many families to turn to firewood and charcoal as an alternative.
The federal government has ordered a nationwide crackdown on hoarders as it battles to restore stability in the domestic gas market.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the price surge was caused by a strike at the Dangote Refinery and maintenance work at the Nigeria LNG facility, both of which cut supplies nationwide. He assured citizens that normal distribution should resume within days.
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“We understand the pain Nigerians are going through,” Ekpo said in a statement by his spokesperson, Louis Ibah. “This situation is temporary, and normal supply should resume by next week.”
Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows cooking gas prices actually fell in August, but that has yet to reflect on the streets, where households are spending over ₦20,000 to refill a 12.5kg cylinder. Inflation may be easing, but energy costs remain a major burden.
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