By Jimmy
The shortage of liquefied petroleum gas, commonly referred to as cooking gas, is having a drastic effect on Lagos and several other states in the country.
The other affected states are Katsina, Sokoto, Delta, Kaduna, and Kano.
According to The Punch, the rise in price of the commodity has been noticed since late last month, causing a continuous rise in prices.
As of June, the price of 12.5kg was around N8,700. In September, the price rose to N10,200, and as of November, it had again risen to between N13,500 and N14,000.
The Punch had earlier reported how gas terminal owners increased prices by 66% in October alone. The price of 20 metric tons of cooking gas rose from N10 million at the beginning of last month to N16 million as of late last month.
This is despite the fact that NLNG is currently supplying 20 MT of cooking gas to them at N9 million.
SEE: How need for police report has claimed lives of many Nigerians
A Punch market survey over the weekend revealed that 12.5kg of cooking gas now sells for between N13,500 and N14,000 at the black market. Some of the traders revealed that gas plant owners now sell to them at between N1100-N1200 per kg as they cannot access enough quantity.
In a chat with the President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, Oladapo Olatunbosun, on Sunday, The Punch learned that there is currently not enough cooking gas in Lagos State.
“In my own gas plant, I sell at N950 per kg,” he said. “So, by all means, the masses should try not to patronize those who don’t have gas plants because they will also add to their profit. Those people are also part of the problem we are facing in the country.”
An investigation by The Punch showed that following the resurfacing of the scarcity, marketers have jerked up the prices, as a kilogram of cooking gas is now being sold at N850 in some filling stations while others sell it between N900 and N950 per kilogram.
However, a long queue of buyers is now a common feature at most filling stations. At other outlets (black market), the price is between N1,110 per kilo and N1200 per kilo.
READ: 12 things we need to know about NLC President Joe Ajaero
Meanwhile, reports from Abuja and Kwara showed that consumers are not experiencing scarcity, though prices remain high.
In Abuja, a resident of Karu in the AMAC Area Council of Abuja, Roy, said that while there was no scarcity of cooking gas in his vicinity, his experience was a mix of liquefied gas and pure gas, which no longer lasted as long as it used to.
“So for me, the problem I’m having is that it liquefies. So instead of having normal gas, you end up with like seventy percent gas and thirty percent liquid that’s inside the cylinder, for whatever you buy. So initially, we were not even aware until we noticed that when we shake the cylinder, it’s always leaving the liquefied part under. So it ends within like two or three weeks before the normal period when it should last”, he said.
