The Federal Government has directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to deepen engagement with gas producers, marketers and other stakeholders to increase the importation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, as part of efforts to stabilise supply and curb rising prices.
The move comes amid growing concern over the escalating cost of cooking gas across the country, which has placed additional financial pressure on households and businesses.
In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, assured Nigerians that the federal government remains committed to ensuring the availability of affordable and reliable gas for domestic, industrial and power generation needs.
According to the minister, marketers have pledged to increase LPG import volumes to complement local production and improve market supply.
He also disclosed that deliveries from the new Seplat gas facility are expected to commence in July, a development projected to significantly strengthen the country’s LPG supply chain.
Ekpo further clarified that regulatory safeguards remain in place to ensure that LPG earmarked for domestic consumption is not diverted for export.
“The outlook for LPG supply remains positive, and the federal government will continue to pursue measures that enhance availability, affordability and long-term energy security for Nigerian consumers,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the recent spike in cooking gas prices, the minister attributed the increase to prevailing market conditions, including foreign exchange fluctuations, rising transportation and logistics costs, infrastructure challenges and movements in global LPG prices.
He stressed that the current market situation should not be viewed as a failure of government policy, noting that authorities have continued to implement interventions aimed at strengthening the domestic market.
One of such measures, he said, is the directive requiring that all LPG produced within Nigeria be prioritised for local consumption before any export consideration.
According to him, the policy has helped improve domestic supply, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen the resilience of the local LPG market.
The government’s intervention follows fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, which showed a sharp increase in cooking gas prices across the country.
The NBS, in its April 2026 Cooking Gas Price Watch report, revealed that the average retail price of a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas rose from N7,655.73 in March to N8,706.93 in April, representing a month-on-month increase of 13.73 per cent.
On a year-on-year basis, the average price climbed by 10.42 per cent compared to N7,855.60 recorded in April 2025.
The report also indicated that the average cost of refilling a 12.5kg cylinder increased by 13.89 per cent, rising from N19,652.83 in March 2026 to N22,382.20 in April 2026.
Similarly, the price represented a 10.43 per cent increase when compared with the N20,268.06 average recorded in April 2025.
The latest figures underscore the mounting challenges facing consumers as the government seeks measures to improve supply and moderate prices in the domestic LPG market.
