Residents of the Federal Capital Territory have expressed relief over the recent reduction in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, saying the development would ease the financial pressure on households.
According to Vanguard, the residents spoke with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, urging the Federal Government to ensure that the price drop is sustained and deepened to make cooking gas more affordable for Nigerians.
It was reports that the price of cooking gas currently sells for between ₦1,080 and ₦1,400 per kilogramme across various retail outlets in the FCT, with NIPCO offering the lowest rate of ₦1,080 per kg.
A civil servant, Victoria Ahaneku, described the reduction as a positive development that could have wider economic benefits.
“The reduction in the price of cooking gas will increase consumer spending power because people will have more disposable income to spend on other goods and services,” she said.
Ahaneku, however, called for further reduction, noting that cooking gas remained unaffordable for many households, forcing them to resort to charcoal and firewood, which are also costly.
A businesswoman, Mary Olobeyo, also welcomed the price drop but stressed the need for sustainability and structural reforms to ensure long-term affordability.
She identified transportation, storage and retail logistics as major contributors to the high cost of cooking gas.
“The government at all levels should adopt a combination of infrastructural, regulatory and diversification strategies.
“This can be achieved by investing in alternative transportation and distribution methods, such as pipelines and rail, to reduce dependence on expensive road tanker trucks,” Olobeyo said.
A teacher, Aisha Abubukar, expressed concern over frequent price fluctuations in the LPG market, despite welcoming the current reduction.
“The price of cooking gas is always unstable. What Nigerians want is a sustained reduction.
“A further drop in cooking gas prices will encourage domestic usage and increase penetration across the country,” she said.
A businessman, Mr Adebayo Olurunfemi, said the price reduction was commendable but insufficient when viewed against Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
“I commend the government for intervening and ensuring the issues at the Dangote Refinery and other depots were resolved, but more still needs to be done.
“The cost of living remains high in Nigeria with all sorts of taxes now, coupled with high rent, school fees, petrol prices and bank charges, among others.
“Nigerians are still struggling daily, so the government still has a lot to do to make life easy for the people,” he said.
Another resident, Charity Samuel, a public servant, said cheaper cooking gas would significantly help families struggling with low purchasing power.
“Nigerians are experiencing low purchasing power, so cheaper essential items like cooking gas will greatly help us.
“Many families rely on cooking gas because it is the cleanest cooking option. The government should ensure it is readily available and affordable to encourage wider usage,” she added.
It could be recalled that the Federal Government had earlier assured Nigerians that cooking gas prices would normalise after rising to as high as ₦1,800 per kg in September 2025, following an industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr Ekperikpe Ekpo, had attributed the price surge to the strike at the Dangote Refinery and maintenance activities at the Nigeria LNG Train Four facility.
Ekpo also disclosed that the Federal Government directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to intensify monitoring of LPG depots nationwide to prevent hoarding and artificial scarcity.
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