FG Convenes Emergency Meeting Over Rising Cooking Gas Prices Nationwide

The Federal Government has moved to address the growing concern over rising cooking gas prices across Nigeria by convening an emergency stakeholders’ meeting aimed at finding immediate and long-term solutions.

The meeting was called amid fresh concerns over the continuous increase in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, which has placed additional financial pressure on millions of Nigerian households already battling rising living costs.

Key players across the gas value chain attended the meeting. They included government officials, regulators, gas producers, marketers, terminal operators, and major industry associations. Discussions focused on the factors driving the sharp rise in prices and practical steps needed to improve supply and stabilize the market.

Speaking during the meeting, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Patience Oyekunle, described LPG as a major source of energy for homes across the country. She said cooking gas remains critical to Nigeria’s broader energy transition goals, especially as the government continues efforts to encourage cleaner and safer energy alternatives.

Oyekunle noted that the rising cost of cooking gas is becoming a serious concern for many families. According to her, the increase is not only affecting household spending but is also pushing up the cost of essential goods and services.

She stressed the need for urgent intervention to prevent further strain on consumers.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said President Bola Tinubu is closely monitoring developments in the sector and is concerned about the impact of rising LPG prices on Nigerians.

Ekpo revealed that the President has directed all relevant agencies and stakeholders to take immediate and proactive steps to tackle the situation.

He said while increasing supply remains important, it must be supported by better logistics, improved infrastructure, and transparent pricing systems to ensure that consumers feel the impact of any intervention.

According to the minister, solving the problem will require coordinated efforts across the entire gas supply chain.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Rabiu Umar, pointed to high landing costs as one of the major reasons behind the current surge in LPG prices.

He explained that several market factors, including import costs, foreign exchange challenges, transportation expenses, and supply bottlenecks, continue to affect pricing.

Despite the challenges, Umar expressed confidence that ongoing efforts by regulators and industry operators would begin to ease market pressure in the coming weeks.

He added that the authority is actively engaging producers and marketers to boost domestic supply, strengthen market monitoring, and improve product availability nationwide.