Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expressing frustration over a fresh increase in cooking gas prices. The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has risen to between N1,380 and N2,000 per kilogramme, depending on location and outlet. This recent hike has forced households to adjust their budgets and resort to alternative cooking fuels. Many residents are calling on the government to intervene and make cooking gas more affordable.
Market checks across Abuja show that the price increase has reversed some of the relief recorded in July. Improved supply and increased imports had pushed prices down in several parts of the FCT, but the latest increase has left residents struggling. For Mrs. Rukayyah Muhammed, the increase has disrupted her household budget. She usually bought a kilogramme of cooking gas for about N1,300 but paid N1,700 at a black-market outlet.
The rising cost of cooking gas has forced many residents to consider alternative cooking fuels. Mrs. Muhammed has resorted to using charcoal, while another resident, Mrs. Tunde, has started using an electric cooker. Tunde said the increase had affected her household budget, and she sometimes resorts to an electric cooker because the gas does not last as long as she expects. She called on the government to make cooking gas more affordable and ensure that weighing metres used by retailers are properly maintained.
The price fluctuation has also affected retailers, who said the increase had reduced patronage as customers now buy smaller quantities. A gas operator with E. Adeboluwa International Limited in Life Camp, Mr. Andrew, said the price rose from N1,350 to N1,500 per kilogramme. Andrew attributed the increase partly to transportation costs, citing poor road conditions and rising fuel prices.
Black-market operators have also been affected by the price increase. Muhammed Musa, a black-market operator, said he noticed the latest increase about a week ago and had raised his price from N1,500 to N1,700 per kilogramme. Musa said the increase had led to a decline in patronage, with some customers complaining that the commodity had become too expensive.
Small businesses that depend on LPG have also been affected by the rising cost. Isyaka Mai Shayi, an Indomie and tea seller in Jabi, said he currently buys cooking gas for N1,300 per kilogramme, with 2kg costing him N2,600. Mai Shayi said the increase had raised his operating costs, as he relies on LPG to prepare Indomie and tea for customers.
The renewed increase comes barely two months after residents recorded some relief following a drop in LPG prices in parts of Abuja. In July, market checks showed that the commodity sold for about N1,600 per kilogramme, down from as high as N2,000 in some locations. At the current price range, refilling a 12.5kg cylinder could cost between N17,250 and N25,000.
Key points
- The price of cooking gas has risen to between N1,380 and N2,000 per kilogramme in the FCT.
- Residents are calling on the government to intervene and make cooking gas more affordable.
- The price increase has forced households to adjust their budgets and resort to alternative cooking fuels.
