Gas retailers are sounding the alarm, cautioning that the price of a 12.5kg cooking gas cylinder may hit to N18,000 by December if the Federal Government does not restrict the activities of terminal owners.
The President, Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, Olatunbosun Oladapo, said, that the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas also known as cooking gas has “gone astronomically high at terminals as a result of a sudden increment from between N9-N10m per 20 metric tons to N14m per 20 metric tons.
Olatunbosun warned, “There is an outrageous surge in gas prices happening right now, and I am apprehensive that if the Federal Government fails to intervene and oversee the activities of these terminal owners, prices could skyrocket to as high as N18 million per metric ton by December. This would mean that a 12.5kg cylinder could cost as much as N18,000.”
According to him, terminal owners are using the excuse of high foreign exchange rates to justify their price increases, ultimately adding to the burden of the masses.
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Olatunbosun however stated that there was no justification for the increment, as the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited still supplied the market.
He said, “NNPCL currently takes 59 per cent of the gas produced by NLNG, although NLNG has also increased its price from N6m to N8m. Now, because NLNG has increased price, NNPCL and terminal owners have increased price to N14m.
“The increase in price that would take effect is not the fault of retailers. It is the fault of NLNG and terminal owners. Even NNPCL is hiding under the guise that they are now privatised to increase prices. As of last week, 1kg was N800 at the terminal, now it is N1,200, and could reach N1,500 by December if care is not taken.”
Olatunbosun lamented, “Now, the average person will struggle to afford gas. How many minimum wage earners can afford gas now? People are resorting to firewood and charcoal. What is surprising is that they met with President Tinubu last week and pledged to collaborate with his administration to improve lives. Now, they have gone back on their word. Where are the promised palliatives and buses? We have not seen anything.”
