The federal government has directed security agencies and regulators to clamp down on hoarding, illegal diversion and speculative storage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas.
The move comes amid a sharp increase in cooking gas prices across the country.
FG summons stakeholders
Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), issued the directive during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.
He said the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force would support efforts to tackle practices driving up prices.
Furthermore, Ekpo directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify market surveillance.
He asked the regulator to work closely with security agencies to eliminate artificial scarcity, discourage hoarding and improve transparency in distribution and pricing.
Government targets supply challenges
Meanwhile, Ekpo said marketers have expressed readiness to increase imports where necessary.
He added that new domestic supplies, including output from the Seplat gas facility, would improve availability in the coming weeks.
“We are also exploring a local blending initiative with Nigeria LNG Limited, local producers, and the Port Harcourt plant operator to move locally produced LPG closer to the market,” he said.
The minister said the initiative would reduce import pressure, cut logistics costs and improve price stability.
Warning to marketers
In addition, Ekpo directed marketers and importers to increase supply and avoid practices that worsen scarcity.
“Marketers and importers must bring in additional volumes where required, share arrival and discharge timelines, price responsibly, and avoid withholding product for speculative gain,” he said.
He also urged transporters to increase truck availability, clear delivery bottlenecks and maintain transparent haulage charges.
Furthermore, the minister asked retailers to display prices openly and avoid arbitrary increases.
NMDPRA blames profiteering
Rabiu Umar, chief executive officer of the NMDPRA, said many wholesalers and retailers are charging prices far above the regulator’s benchmarks.
According to him, consumers currently pay between N1,600 and N2,100 per kilogramme in the south-west despite an indicative price range of N1,018 to N1,177 per kilogramme.
In the north-central, LPG sells between N1,550 and N1,950 per kilogramme against the regulator’s benchmark of N1,066 to N1,224.
Similarly, consumers in the south-south pay between N1,400 and N2,000 per kilogramme, compared with the official guide of N1,021 to N1,179.
Umar attributed the disparity to profiteering and distribution bottlenecks.
Exports affecting local supply
The NMDPRA also said LPG exports are limiting domestic supply.
According to the regulator, Chevron Nigeria Limited produced 148,222 metric tonnes of LPG between January and May 2026 and exported the entire volume.
The figure represents 22.93 percent of Nigeria’s total LPG production during the period.
The regulator said it would engage the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the ministry of petroleum resources to secure more cooking gas for the domestic market.
NLNG leads production
The NMDPRA report showed that the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) was the country’s largest LPG producer during the review period.
NLNG produced 187,559 metric tonnes, accounting for 29.01 percent of national output.
Meanwhile, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery produced 105,127 metric tonnes, representing 16.26 percent of total production.
