‎Clean Energy Drive Threatened as High Cost of Cooking Gas Forces Households to Seek Alternatives ‎

There are concerns that the growing cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, is threatening efforts to promote clean energy adoption in Nigeria as households increasingly turn to cheaper but less environmentally friendly alternatives for their daily cooking needs.

The price of cooking gas has more than doubled in the last three years in the country, pushing households to seek cheaper alternative sources of energy.

The Rising Cost of LPG

From about ₦800 in 2023, the price has jumped to a range of ₦2,000 to ₦2,500 per kilogramme as of early June 2026 in various parts of the country.
​The product saw a significant surge from about ₦1,600, at which it was sold a month ago.

This means it now costs between ₦10,000 and ₦12,500 to refill a 5kg cylinder, while a 12.5kg cylinder now costs between ₦25,000 and ₦31,250.

Consumers Voice Their Frustration

​“I went to refill my gas cylinder and the seller said ₦2,500. I initially thought he meant ₦1,500 until he repeated it,” Mrs Adeyinka, a resident of Isolo in Lagos, stated in a chat with Pinnacle Daily. Adeyinka added that she was forced to buy 4kg instead of 6kg originally planned because of the skyrocketing cost of LPG in recent times.

“I used to refill my gas cylinder every month without much difficulty,” said a trader and mother of three, Grace Okafor. “Now the price has become too high. Sometimes I use charcoal because it is what I can afford.”

In a chat with Pinnacle Daily, Okwudili Onuh, a resident of Ado-Ekiti, confirmed that a kilogramme of LPG now costs ₦2,500 there, lamenting the impact on household expenses.

“My wife bought gas ₦2,500 per kilogramme a few days ago. It is quite expensive now; I don’t know why the price is like this,” Onuh stated.

Their experiences reflect a broader trend that energy experts say could undermine years of progress in reducing dependence on biomass fuels.

Public Outcry on Social Media

On social media, there is a barrage of comments from Nigerians lamenting the high cost of cooking gas and the impact on the cost of living, which is already high.

“How does Tinubu expect poor people to survive under these conditions? Food is expensive, transportation is expensive, electricity is unstable, and now even basic cooking gas is becoming unaffordable for many families,” an X user, Skood, stated.

“I guess most of us will soon revert to charcoal and firewood… Cooking gas is almost 2,000 NGN per litre,” X user Perpetual stated.

“Gas is now N2,400/kg Omo!!! This country is getting worse by the day. How do people survive this hardship?” another X user, Adorable Teggy, asked.

“Gas is now ₦2,700 per kg. Every time I turn on the cooker, I hear my bank account screaming,” MS Juray lamented.
​“Cooking gas selling above ₦2,000 per kg is insane. They told us domestic production increased, and imports dropped, so why are prices still suffocating local households? Refilling a 12.5kg cylinder is now a luxury,” an X user who identified himself as LostInTheHaze stated.

Another X user, Mazi Okwuoma, lamented rising queues at some gas refill stations in Abuja due to emerging scarcity, while the price has gone up to ₦2,000 from about ₦1,500 per kg sold recently.

This comes as the price of Kerosene, also used in household cooking, has jumped to ₦4,000 per litre.

​Industry operators have attributed the increase in the price of cooking gas to the ongoing Middle East crisis, supply shortages, higher depot costs, foreign exchange pressures, and rising transportation expenses.

Reports indicate that LPG consumption in Nigeria has risen from about 250,000 metric tonnes in 2014 to roughly 1.5 million tonnes in 2024. However, this is yet to meet the federal government’s long-standing target of between five and six million tonnes per year, leading to a rescheduling of the timeline for achieving that to 2030.

Data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) last month showed that LPG consumption in the country dropped to 4.8 million kilogrammes from 5.1 million kilogrammes, while retail prices ranged from ₦1,100 to ₦1,450 per kg.

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Governments, environmental advocates, and development agencies have long promoted LPG as a cleaner alternative to firewood and charcoal. Increased adoption has been linked to improved public health, reduced indoor air pollution and lower pressure on forests.

​However, recent increases in cooking gas prices have placed significant financial strain on households already grappling with inflation and rising living costs.
​Energy analysts warn that if the trend continues, gains recorded in clean cooking initiatives could be reversed.

Across urban and rural communities, families who once embraced LPG as a cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel are now reverting to firewood, charcoal and other traditional energy sources due to rising costs of refill.

For many households, the decision is driven not by preference but by economic necessity.

Mercy Odiri, a resident of Ikotun, said she had long abandoned cooking with charcoal because of the smoke it emits, but may be forced to return to that as the price of cooking gas has gone to the roof.

“I don’t like using a charcoal stove because of the smoke it releases, but I may be forced this time to return to it,” Odiri stated. “I am considering using a charcoal stove alongside gas, especially for cooking that takes longer, to save cost,” she added.

For small businesses, particularly food vendors, the impact is even more pronounced.

​“I have already started using a charcoal stove long before the price of gas reached the current level,” said Miss Liberty Umoh, who runs a restaurant in Isolo.

She called on the government to take necessary measures to bring down the cost of cooking gas, adding that many people rely on it for their cooking needs.

Charcoal on the Rise

The escalating cost of cooking gas, which has led to the return of households and small businesses to charcoal and firewood, is creating a surge in demand that is pushing charcoal prices higher.
​Charity Igwe, a food vendor in Enugu, said a bag of charcoal, which used to sell between ₦6,000 and ₦7,000, now goes for ₦8,000 and ₦9,000, depending on quality.
​“I used to buy one bag of charcoal for ₦6,000, sometimes ₦7,000, but now they are between ₦8,000 and ₦9,000, that is retail price,” Mrs Igwe stated, adding that the price of charcoal started rising even before the recent hike in the price of cooking gas.

While admitting that cooking gas is clean and more sustainable, she insisted that even with the rising cost of charcoal, gas is still more expensive.

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) had last month warned of broader economic consequences if the situation of the gas price surge is not addressed.

According to the association, these include accelerated food inflation, the collapse of small-scale LPG businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence, and a significant setback to Nigeria’s clean energy commitments.

The Supply Chain Conflict

​Some marketers have reportedly blamed Dangote Refinery for the current situation, claiming that the refinery’s supply to the market distorted and caused losses for importers, pushing them to cease imports, only for the refinery to stop supplying the market.

Reacting, Dangote Refinery, in a letter to NALPGAM, exonerated itself from the current supply shortfall, clarifying that it does not prioritise domestic LPG supply.
​NALPGAM pointed at intense pressure on the supply chain, which has made Marketers spend more. According to the association, marketers reported paying as much as ₦26.2 million for a 20-metric-tonne truckload of LPG in May, a cost directly passed on to consumers.

​Health and Environmental Risks

​Health experts note that smoke generated from firewood and charcoal contributes to respiratory illnesses, particularly among women and children who spend more time around cooking areas. The World Health Organisation has repeatedly identified household air pollution as a major health risk in developing countries.

​Environmentalists are equally concerned about the potential increase in deforestation as more households rely on wood-based fuels. Increased demand for firewood and charcoal could accelerate the depletion of forest resources, worsen land degradation and contribute to climate change.

Way Forward

​Despite the challenges, stakeholders insist that clean energy goals remain achievable if governments implement measures to cushion the impact of rising gas prices. Suggested interventions include incentives for local LPG production and distribution, and investments in alternative clean cooking technologies.

​Industry operators also advocate policies that would reduce transportation and logistics costs, which often contribute to higher retail prices for consumers.

As policymakers pursue ambitious clean energy targets, the challenge remains clear: ensuring that cleaner cooking fuels remain not only available but affordable. Without sustained action, rising cooking gas prices could slow the transition to cleaner energy and push vulnerable households back toward traditional fuels, threatening both environmental sustainability and public health gains.