Nigerian households are facing another round of financial pressure as petrol prices rise above N1,400 per litre in some areas while cooking gas costs have climbed sharply across parts of the South-West.
The latest pressure is particularly visible in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas market, where consumers in Lagos were paying as much as N1,600 per kilogramme for cooking gas as of Thursday.
Checks across Lagos, Osun, Oyo and Ogun showed significant differences between plant prices and what consumers eventually pay at retail outlets, with distribution and transportation costs contributing to the variation.
In Lagos, LPG was reportedly selling at about N1,350 per kilogramme at plants but around N1,600 at retail level, while consumers in Osun were paying approximately N1,500 and those in Oyo about N1,300 per kilogramme.
At N1,600 per kilogramme, refilling a standard 12.5kg cylinder in Lagos would require about N20,000, increasing the burden on families that depend on cooking gas for everyday meals.
The increase comes shortly after another round of petrol price adjustments that has already raised concerns about higher transport fares and the cost of moving food and other goods around the country.
For households, the pressure is therefore extending beyond the filling station or gas outlet because higher energy and transportation expenses leave less disposable income for food, education, healthcare and other essential needs.
The impact is also being felt by food vendors, restaurants and small businesses that rely heavily on LPG, as higher cooking costs can eventually translate into increased prices for meals and services.
However, gas marketers have cautioned that the highest retail prices should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a uniform nationwide increase in LPG prices.
Olatunbosun Oladapo, Managing Director of DAPNIK Gas Plant, said his facility in Ibadan was selling LPG at about N1,150 per kilogramme, while some outlets in Lagos could also sell within the N1,100 to N1,150 range.
He attributed some of the differences to distribution expenses, explaining that distributors add transportation, operating and other costs before selling to consumers in different communities.
Energy lawyer and oil and gas expert Ayodele Oni, however, said the broader price pressure reflects a combination of international LPG prices, foreign exchange movements, logistics expenses and Nigeria’s domestic supply position.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority showed that Nigeria supplied 565,106 tonnes of LPG between January and June 18, 2026, against a benchmark requirement of 657,072 tonnes.
That represents a supply shortfall of about 91,966 tonnes and means domestic supply covered roughly 86 per cent of estimated demand during the period.
The latest LPG situation follows earlier disruptions in the international energy market that affected domestic supply conditions, with Argus data reportedly showing Nigerian LPG demand falling to a seven-month low of 123,000 tonnes in June.
Meanwhile, petrol prices have also continued to place pressure on Nigerians after Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its gantry price from N1,265 to N1,350 per litre on September 12.
The N85 increase represented the fourth reported petrol price adjustment by the refinery since August 21, bringing the cumulative increase to N185 within 22 days.
Energy economists have linked the petrol adjustments to international crude prices, logistics, refining costs and other components of the downstream petroleum market, while warning that increases in fuel costs can quickly spread through transportation and food prices.
The pressure is particularly significant because transportation costs influence the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets, the daily operations of traders and the cost of commuting for workers and students.
The growing energy burden is also being linked to wider concerns about household nutrition, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar arguing that rising food and fuel costs are worsening the difficulties faced by vulnerable families.
The Nutrition Society of Nigeria has reported that nearly two million Nigerian children are affected by severe acute malnutrition, with only about two in every 10 receiving treatment, according to the report.
With petrol, cooking gas, transportation and food costs moving upward at the same time, Nigerian households are increasingly being forced to stretch limited incomes across competing essential expenses.
The latest developments therefore highlight how energy prices can influence far more than household fuel bills, with changes in petrol and LPG costs capable of affecting food prices, small businesses, transportation and overall household purchasing power.