Nigeria’s much-trumpeted clean cooking and domestic gas utilisation campaign is currently being threatened by the ongoing Middle East crisis and market supply issues, as vulnerable families are turning to charcoal following a 67 per cent rise in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and N362 billion monthly bills.

LPG, otherwise called cooking gas, which sold for less than N1,500 per kilogramme last month, has soared across the country, hitting about N2,500 per kilogramme yesterday in Lagos, representing a 67 per cent additional cost while compounding the existing high cost of energy.

This comes as the Nigerian Association of LPG Marketers (NALPGAM) accused refiners of distorting the market, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, as well as Ardova Plc (formerly Forte Oil Plc), are being accused of hoarding the product.

Although Ardova disputed the claim while NNPC remained mum, most residents, who spoke with The Guardian, said they are resorting to charcoal, which sells for about N5,500 per bag, to cushion the crisis.

While LPG consumption has risen from about 250,000 metric tonnes in 2014 to roughly 1.5 million tonnes in 2024, the federal government’s long-standing target of between five and six million tonnes per year remained a mirage and has now been moved to 2030.

Per capita consumption stands at about seven kilogrammes yearly, compared with a global average of between 25 and 30 kilogrammes, an indication of the depth of Nigeria’s clean cooking gap.

Last month, about 4.8 million kilogrammes of LPG were consumed daily in the country at a total cost of N224 billion. With the price now N2,500 per kg, residents face a financial burden of N362 billion.

Although prices stood at N1,700 in some parts of Abuja yesterday and N1,800 in Kano, some retailers in Lagos were selling at N2,500 per kilogramme.

Across Lagos, Abuja, Ilorin and other parts of the country, residents told The Guardian that the cost of refilling cylinders has become increasingly difficult to sustain, forcing households to ration usage, delay refills or explore cheaper alternatives.

Adeola Akinyanju, a resident of Ejigbo, said she had relied exclusively on cooking gas for over eight years due to its convenience and cleanliness, but recent price increases have changed her routine.

“Before, once the gas finished, I would refill immediately. Now, I have to plan for it. Sometimes I delay refilling because other expenses come first. We still use gas, but we now keep charcoal as backup, especially for meals that take longer to cook,” she said.

A resident of Ilorin, Serah Ajiboye, said she has resorted to charcoal, disclosing that buying 25 kilogrammes of charcoal for N5,500 offers affordability.

Similarly, Aisha Ibrahim in Mushin noted that her household now alternates between LPG and charcoal to cope with rising costs.

“I don’t like charcoal because of the smoke and stress, but we don’t have much choice. The cost of gas has seriously affected us. Many people in my area are doing the same, some are even going back to firewood,” she said.

For small businesses, particularly food vendors, the impact is even more pronounced, as energy costs directly affect profitability.

A bulk LPG trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to her direct business relationships with major suppliers, described the situation as “a survival-of-the-fittest market”.

According to her, while imports are not restricted, pricing strategies by dominant players often discourage participation.

“Depot owners import in dollars, but within days of arrival, prices may be adjusted in a way that makes their products uncompetitive. That discourages imports,” she said.

She alleged that some suppliers prioritise internal distribution over open market sales, further tightening supply.

“I tracked NNPC cargoes and tried to buy, but after weeks, the products were diverted instead of being sold to marketers,” she alleged.

The trader added that supply to bulk buyers has dropped to near zero in recent weeks, forcing many operators to shut down.

“My stations have not sold gas in two weeks. Trucks are idle because there is no supply. It is a terrible situation,” she said.

A food vendor in Mushin, Adebayo Kudirat, explained that the increase in LPG prices has forced her to rethink her cooking strategy.

“Gas is still better because it is faster and cleaner, but it is expensive now. I use charcoal for foods that take longer to cook and reserve gas for quick meals. Customers don’t always understand when prices go up, but cooking costs are now a major issue,” she said.

Some marketers blamed Dangote Refinery for creating the current crisis as they insisted that its supply to the market, distorted and created losses for importers, forcing them to halt importation, only for the refinery to stop supplying the market.

Dangote Refinery, in a letter addressed to NALGAM and sighted by The Guardian, clarified that supplying LPG to the domestic market is not a core aspect of its operations.

The company explained that LPG is largely treated as a by-product of its refining process and is typically upgraded into higher-value derivatives. While some volumes are allocated to the local market, it noted that such decisions come at a cost to production efficiency and profitability.

The refinery further stated that it did not position domestic LPG supply as a central focus of the facility from inception.

Consequently, the company sought to distance itself from the current supply shortfall, maintaining that LPG distribution to the domestic market was never intended to be a primary component of its business model.

The pressure is also reshaping lifestyle choices among younger Nigerians, as Ayomide Oladosu, a student in Yaba, said he now cooks less frequently.