By Monsurat Abisoye
The Federal Government has dismissed claims that locally produced cooking gas is being exported while Nigerians grapple with rising prices and supply shortages, insisting that the ban on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) exports remains in effect.
The clarification followed concerns raised by the Chairman of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association (LPGAR), Ayobami Olarinoye, who attributed the persistent scarcity and high cost of cooking gas to limited availability and alleged exports by a local refinery. He said obtaining supplies had become increasingly difficult, with only a few gas plants selling to retailers, while others preferred dealing directly with end-users.
However, the spokesperson for the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Louis Ibah, stated that the export restriction introduced by the minister, Dr Ekperikpe Ekpo, is still being strictly enforced by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). He maintained that no producer is currently permitted to export cooking gas intended for domestic consumption, adding that efforts are focused on meeting local demand.
Olarinoye warned that cooking gas prices may remain high unless supply improves and called on the Federal Government to provide incentives to attract more investors to the LPG market.
An NMDPRA source disclosed that the regulator is working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other stakeholders to boost product availability. The source added that a new Seplat gas facility is expected to begin supplying LPG to the domestic market by July, which could significantly improve supply.
Meanwhile, speaking at the Association of Local Distributors of Gas Business Forum 2026 in Abuja, Ekpo urged stakeholders to strengthen efforts to improve gas distribution and utilisation nationwide. Represented by the Director of Midstream and Downstream, Mrs Ikenma Irene, the minister said Nigeria’s more than 209 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves would only have real value if they supported households, industries, and businesses.
He identified inadequate infrastructure, weak distribution networks, and limited market penetration as major obstacles to domestic gas utilisation. Ekpo also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the Decade of Gas initiative and reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 aimed at encouraging investment and expanding private sector participation.
The minister called for policy consistency, strategic investment, and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure affordable and reliable access to gas, stressing that Nigeria must move from gas abundance to gas accessibility for the benefit of all citizens.