Federal Government blames forex volatility and logistics for high LPG prices; citizens urge focus on domestic supply

The Federal Government has directed gas marketers to ramp up imports of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, to address supply shortages and rising prices across Nigeria. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, announced the move on Monday in Abuja, following widespread complaints from households struggling with higher energy costs.

Ekpo explained that recent spikes in cooking gas prices were driven by foreign exchange volatility, logistics challenges, and inadequate infrastructure within the country. He stated that marketers had received clear instructions to increase imports in the short term while government works on longer-term solutions to stabilise supply and prices. The directive comes as many Nigerians grapple with climbing food and transportation costs, making affordable cooking gas a pressing concern nationwide.

The government’s decision has drawn sharp reactions from citizens, who questioned why a nation with over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves still needs to depend on imports. Many took to social media to express their frustration. “In a country where we have more gas reserves than oil, a nation is saying people should import? What happens to opening up more LNG plants across the country for this thing to be in abundance?” one user wrote. Another added: “If we have a large reserve and we export more than 942 billion scf and yet the minister’s solution is to import instead of cut export and increase what’s available for consumption… this isn’t a renewed hope, Nigeria is screwed.”

Despite these criticisms, Ekpo maintained that government policies are focused on ensuring local supply remains a priority. He emphasised that factors such as rising international LPG prices and infrastructural bottlenecks have limited domestic availability but assured that new gas projects—such as those from Seplat Energy—are expected to boost local supply and help moderate prices in the coming months.

Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have long highlighted issues like inadequate processing facilities and poor transportation networks as obstacles preventing Nigerians from fully benefiting from the country’s vast gas wealth. The government insists that domestically produced LPG will continue to serve local demand first before exports are considered. Meanwhile, concerns persist that further price hikes may force more Nigerians to revert to firewood or charcoal for cooking—a trend with serious health and environmental implications.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/in-a-country-that-has-more-gas-reserves-nigerians-react-as-fg-orders-more-imports-to-tackle-rising-cost-of-cooking-gas-2026061717144874316