If you filled your 12.5kg gas cylinder in January and are refilling it now, you already know the truth — the price has gone up. Again.
As someone who runs a gas business in Delta State and built a digital platform connecting buyers to sellers, I see the numbers every week. The dealer price at the depot is now around ₦1,090 per kilogram. By the time that gas reaches your local seller, adds rent, transport, and profit, you are paying anywhere between ₦1,200 to ₦1,400 per kg depending on your location.
For a 12.5kg cylinder, that is ₦15,000 to ₦17,500. Six months ago, it was closer to ₦13,000. So what is driving this?
1. The Naira-Dollar Exchange Rate
Nigeria imports a significant portion of its LPG. Even the gas produced locally is priced against international benchmarks. When the naira weakens against the dollar, the cost of importing gas — or the opportunity cost of selling it locally instead of exporting — goes up. Depot prices adjust immediately. Your local seller is not greedy; they are passing on a cost they cannot control.
2. Transport and Logistics Costs
Moving gas from the coastal depots to inland markets like Ughelli, Warri, or Benin costs money. Diesel for trucks, road tolls, security, and driver wages all factor in. Any spike in diesel price hits gas prices within days.
3. Seasonal Demand
During festive periods and rainy seasons when kerosene and firewood become harder to use, demand for LPG spikes. Basic economics: higher demand + fixed supply = higher prices.
So How Do You Save Money?
Here are three practical tips I give my own customers at Mega Think Success in Oteri:
Prices tend to dip slightly mid-month when demand is lower. If your cylinder is not completely empty, consider topping up strategically rather than waiting until you are desperate.
Not every seller charges the same. A seller near a major road might charge ₦1,400/kg while a seller two streets away charges ₦1,250/kg. The difference on a 12.5kg fill is ₦1,875. That is money for a loaf of bread and eggs.
Some unscrupulous sellers underfill cylinders. A 12.5kg cylinder should receive 12.5kg of gas. If your cylinder feels lighter than usual after a refill, ask questions. Better yet, buy from verified sellers who have a reputation to protect.
The bottom line is this: LPG is still cheaper than running a generator for cooking, and far healthier than firewood or kerosene. But you need to be a smart buyer.