Cooking Gas Prices Up 12.60% In March – NBS

Cooking gas prices surged 12.60 per cent in March 2026, with the average cost of 5kg cylinders rising from N6,799.18 in February to N7,655.73, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The NBS disclosed this in its Cooking Gas Price Watch for March, released Tuesday in Abuja. On a year-on-year basis, the 5kg price climbed 4.55 per cent from N7,322.49 in March 2025.

Kaduna had the highest state price at N9,212.21, followed by Lagos (N8,909.73) and Taraba (N8,802.78). Bauchi recorded the lowest at N6,295.40, then Osun (N6,457.35) and Ondo (N6,598.10).

By zone, the North-West led at N8,137.81, trailed by the North-East (N7,890.53), while the South-South had the lowest at N7,300.95.

For 12.5kg cylinders, prices jumped 15.62 per cent month-on-month to N19,652.83 from N16,997.94, and rose 6.48 per cent year-on-year from N18,456.24. Nasarawa hit the highest at N23,418.12, followed by Kaduna (N23,030.52) and Akwa Ibom (N22,816.74). Bauchi was lowest at N15,738.50, then Osun (N16,143.38) and Ondo (N16,495.25). The North-West zone averaged N20,701.66, with the South-East lowest at N18,432.63.

Economist Opeyemi Alabi, speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), linked the rise to volatile exchange rates, global market swings, high transport costs to northern rural areas, and Middle East geopolitical tensions from the U.S.-Iran war, boosting Brent crude and LPG prices.

“LPG, priced in US dollars, faces higher landing costs from naira devaluation and imported supply reliance,” Alabi said. “Even local NLNG gas tracks global benchmarks, fueling the 12.60 per cent and 15.62 per cent month-on-month hikes.”