Retailers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, have said they should not be held responsible for the current hike in prices and scarcity being experienced across the country.
Chairman of the LPG Retailers branch under NUPENG, Mr. Ayobami Olarinoye, made this known in a statement on Saturday, stressing that the situation is a supply problem and not the fault of end-sellers.
“The recent scarcity and spike in LPG prices have brought untold hardship to millions of Nigerian households and businesses. We understand this pain and feel compelled to clarify the role of retailers in this crisis,” he said.
Olarinoye was responding to recent comments by the president of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), who allegedly blamed retailers for the rising cost of cooking gas.
Describing the allegation as misleading, he explained that retailers only buy from gas plant owners and sell to end-users — they are neither importers nor major depot operators.
“Some of us travel to other states to get supply at high rates because of ongoing shortages. Naturally, that affects the price we sell,” he added.
He noted that while Dangote Refinery has maintained its price at around N15.8 to N16 million per 20-tonne truckload, other off-takers are selling the same quantity at about N18.5 to N18.6 million, creating a huge gap in affordability.
“Because of the price difference, many people now avoid the more expensive suppliers, leading to reduced importation and deeper scarcity,” he said.
Olarinoye also pointed to the recent PENGASSAN strike as another factor that worsened the already fragile supply chain, saying many plant owners who paid for gas from Dangote are still waiting to load due to backlog and limited availability.
He urged the government to step in and bridge the pricing gap between Dangote and other suppliers to ensure smooth and consistent availability across the country.
“This crisis is not caused by retailers. It’s a market imbalance. We’re only trying to stay afloat,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that the union is committed to finding lasting solutions and will continue to support efforts aimed at stabilising the sector.
“As long as supply remains unstable, prices will reflect the reality of demand and availability. We plead for understanding from the public,” he added.
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