FG Blames Cooking Gas Price Hike On Forex, Logistics, Orders Tightened Oversight

The federal government has attributed the current increases in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or cooking gas prices to foreign exchange volatility, rising logistics costs and other market pressures, and has ordered the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify oversight to stabilise supply.

Minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, who acknowledged public concerns over higher cooking gas costs, said the government remained committed to ensuring adequate, reliable and affordable gas for households, industry and power generation,
“The recent price adjustments are driven largely by prevailing market realities such as foreign exchange volatility, rising logistics costs, infrastructure constraints and fluctuations in international LPG prices. These factors should not be misinterpreted as evidence of policy failure,” the minister stated in a release signed by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, on Monday.

LEADERSHIP checks revealed that as at June 2026, the average price of cooking gas had climbed to about N2,050/kg, up from around N1,450/kg earlier — a 41.4 per cent increase in a short period
Ekpo pointed to government’s interventions that prioritise domestically produced LPG for local consumption, a policy he said has strengthened supply, reduced import dependence and improved market resilience. He warned that recent price adjustments reflect prevailing market realities—not a failure of policy.
To address the situation, the minister directed the NMDPRA to step up engagement with producers, marketers and other stakeholders to sustain supply and enhance market stability. Marketers have committed to increasing import volumes to complement domestic production, the ministry said.
Ekpo added that deliveries from Seplat’s new gas facility, due to commence in July, will provide a significant boost to national LPG supplies.

He also confirmed that regulatory measures remained in place to prevent the export of LPG volumes designated for the domestic market.
“The outlook for LPG supply remains positive,” the minister’s office stated.