The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly used for cooking, has risen by 3.32% month-on-month, reaching an average of N6,915.69 in October 2024, up from N6,699.63 in September 2024. This increase, according to the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), marks a 51.58% rise from October 2023, when the price was N4,562.51.
Regionally, the northeast of Nigeria saw the highest prices for cooking gas, with a 5kg cylinder priced at N7,319.03. The north-west region had the lowest average price, standing at N6,703.95, below the national average.
The report also provides a breakdown by state, revealing significant variations across the country. In October 2024, Borno recorded the highest average price for a 5kg cylinder of LPG at N7,939.29, followed by Yobe (N7,580.00) and Benue (N7,578.00). On the other end, Katsina had the lowest average price at N6,270.00, followed by Zamfara (N6,410.71) and Delta (N6,427.78).
For larger cylinders, the price of a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder also saw an increase, rising by 2.58% from N16,313.43 in September 2024 to N16,734.55 in October 2024. On a year-on-year basis, the price jumped by 58.68% from N10,545.87 in October 2023. Rivers recorded the highest price for a 12.5kg cylinder at N17,895.00, followed by Osun (N17,739.06) and Benue (N17,731.25). Katsina again had the lowest price at N14,725.00, with Nasarawa (N15,390.55) and Adamawa (N15,474.21) following.
The southern regions experienced the highest costs for refilling 12.5kg cylinders, with the South-South leading at an average price of N17,114.67, followed by the South-East at N16,906.1. In contrast, the North-Central region had the lowest average price at N16,411.19.
The rising cost of cooking gas continues to strain households, already facing inflationary pressures from higher food and transport costs. With prices climbing steadily over the past year, vulnerable families may resort to cheaper, more polluting energy sources like firewood or charcoal. This trend threatens to reverse progress toward eliminating harmful cooking fuels in Nigeria.
