Nigeria LPG Crisis Deepens as Prices Hit Record High in 2026

Nigerian households are facing a severe cooking gas crisis in 2026, with LPG cylinder prices reaching a record high of ₦12,500 per 12.5 kg cylinder — up nearly 40% from ₦9,000 just 18 months ago. The price surge is pushing millions of urban families back to charcoal, firewood and kerosene, reversing years of clean cooking progress.

Nigeria, despite being Africas largest oil producer, has long struggled with a domestic LPG supply paradox — the country exports crude oil but imports most of its cooking gas due to inadequate domestic refining and distribution infrastructure.

Root Causes of the Nigeria LPG Crisis

• Currency Devaluation: The Naira has lost significant value against the dollar, making LPG imports extremely expensive.
• Import Dependency: Nigeria imports over 70% of its LPG needs despite having vast natural gas reserves.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Poor road networks make distribution to interior regions costly and inefficient.
• Global Price Surge: Rising international LPG prices compound domestic currency woes.
• Subsidy Removal: Government removal of fuel subsidies has impacted the entire energy sector.

Impact on Nigerian Families

For a middle-class Nigerian family spending ₦12,500 per cylinder and using 2 cylinders per month, the annual LPG bill has reached ₦300,000 — representing 55-70% of the average urban household monthly income. This is economically unsustainable for most families.

The crisis is particularly acute in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, where clean cooking adoption had been growing steadily before the current price surge.