Price of 14.5kg cooking gas hits N5,950 in Borno, Delta, Katsina

Efforts by the Federal Government to promote consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) otherwise known as cooking gas, is being threatened as the price of the commodity has risen by over 30 per cent.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 35.28 per cent month-on-month and 49.82 per cent year-on-year to N5,508.16 in January 2017 from N4,071.63 in December 2016.

NBS listed the highest average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas Borno to be N5, 950; Delta, N5, 933.33; and Katsina, 5,972.22.

“States with the lowest average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder cooking gas were Benue, N5, 083.33; Ogun, N5, 030; and Kaduna & Kogi, N5, 000”.

It said that Plateau State recorded the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the North Central region for January 2017 while Kogi State records the least average price.

NBS added that Borno State records the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the North East Region for January 2017 while Yobe State records the least average price.

Katsina State records the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the North West Region for January 2017 while Kaduna State records the least average price”, it added.

It stated that Imo State records the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the South East region for January 2017 while Abia State records the least average price.

Delta State, according to NBS, recorded the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the South South region for January 2017, while Rivers State recorded the least average price.

The report noted that Ondo State recorded the highest average cooking gas price for refilling 12.5KG cylinder in the South West region for January 2017 while Ogun State recorded the least average price.

It added that the average price for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder for cooking gas increased by 28.24 per cent month-on-month and 39.39 per cent year-on-year to N2,567.56 in January 2017 from N2,002.16 in December 2016.

States with the highest average price for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder for cooking gas were Abuja, N2,800); Kano, N2,750; and Oyo, 2,70.States with the lowest average price for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder for cooking gas were Borno, N2,511.11; Akwa Ibom, N2,520 and Bauchi, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Osun, Yobe and Zamfara N2,500”, it stated.

Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association, NLPGA President, Dayo Adesina, attributed the high cost of cooking gas to infrastructural challenges.
Adesina stated: “What has been the problem are infrastructural challenge and the fact that jetties or receiving terminals are only three in Lagos. In two of the terminals that are multiproduct terminals where you have ATK, PMS and others, prioriTV Novel – Sea of the Woman ty is given to those products rather than LPG.

“Compared to the one terminal that has a dedicated jetty, regardless of when the vessel gets there it will be able to discharge but it is not so in the multiproduct terminal. Some time you have delays of 15, 20 and 45 days although that has been resolved to some extent because of a lot of engagements with NLNG and PPMC.

“Those two multiproduct terminals are beginning to get a bit more access for discharge. So, it has mostly been infrastructural problem and that is why a lot of private sector players are now looking at building more terminals in Port Harcourt and Calabar.


“There are quite a lot of terminals on the infrastructure side which would come on stream and that would help.
Truly, the product is available in-country but the infrastructure challenge has made it difficult for regular discharges to take place and that has created room for people to import when there is no need for that and NLNG has said that even if we need to go to a million tons they are ready to supply as long as the market can absorb it.

Government support in the LPG sector, he hinted would encourage new businesses as massive employment opportunities.He added that gas gathering, processing and utilization schemes would be created through partnerships.