Business

Cooking Gas Demand Falls By 38%, Marketers Clash Over Price

Published

3 years ago

May 29, 2022

National cooking gas demand has dropped by 38 percent, according to the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, NALPGAM.

The revelation came on the heels of clamours by a group of experts on Tuesday that demand for Liquefied Natural Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, had dropped to a record low across the country.

The President of the Nigerian Gas Association, Ed Ubong, said at a downstream event in Lagos that national gas consumption had dropped due to high prices.

The Executive Secretary of NALPGAM, Bassey Essien, also confirmed the development to The PUNCH during a telephone interview.

Following the clamour, NALPGAM, President Oladapo Olatunbosun, on Wednesday, said gas demand had dropped from 1.2 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) to around 750,000mtpa.

“We are aware that the local consumption of cooking gas has dropped from 1.2 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) to around 750,000mtpa out of which about 600,000 mtpa is supplied by local producers,” he said, bringing the percentage drop in demand to 37.5 percent per annum.

This brings to fore, the achievement of President Buhari’s National Gas Expansion Programme which seeks to deepen local gas usage within the next decade.

The Federal Government had targeted a consumption of 5mn metric tonnes per annum.

Olatunbosunalso alleged that the Nigeria Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association inflated price of a 20metric tons by 100 percent.

According to him, gas importers who were members of NLPGA sold to plant owners at N12.7million per 20metric tons (MT) despite purchasing the product at around N7 million per 20MT from NLNG and other local producers.

While NALPGAM is the association of indigenous private companies with operating gas bottling plants with membership spread across the country, the NLPGA is the umbrella body of all stakeholders including importers, skid owners and also players in the LPG sector in Nigeria.

According to him, cooking gas, as at Monday, May 23, was N750 per kilogram(Kg) at the depot and was sold at N800/kg at the retail end in Lagos, Ogun and some states in the South West, while the same quantity went as high as N900 to N1000 per kg at retail end in Gombe and Bayelsa and other states.

He said, “It does not make economic sense to be supplied with a receipt of around N7 million per 20MT and sell to consumers at the same price that imported LPG landed in Nigeria.

“Give us the exact figure of LPG your members got from NLNG. We are aware that the local consumption of cooking gas has dropped from 1.2 million metric tonnes per annum(mmtpa) to around 750,000mtpa out of which about 600,000 mtpa is supplied by local producers.”

The General Manager, External Relations & Sustainable Development, NLNG, Andy Odeh, told Sunday PUNCH in an email response that it could not disclose its contractual agreement with its customers. “We have no comments on your enquiries as our sales terms are confidential and commercially sensitive information,” he said, when asked to disclose the price it sold to marketers.

While speaking during one of the technical sessions on the topic ‘Gas as a catalyst for sustainable economic development- The role of Nigerian Content’, at ‘The Nigerian Content Midstream and Downstream Oil and Gas Summit 2022’ organised by the Nigerian Content and Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, in Lagos on Tuesday, gas stakeholders unanimously submitted that national gas consumption was currently very low and expressed worry over the dwindling purchasing power of Nigerians.

PUNCH

Business

Dangote Fuel Sells Cheaper In Togo Than In Nigeria – Falana Laments

Published

14 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

Human rights activist Femi Falana, SAN, has lamented that fuel taken from Dangote is cheaper in Togo than in Nigeria.

Falana expressed his concerns on Sunday while responding to questions in an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.

He urged the federal government to review the proposed 5 per cent fuel surcharge and ensure that further hardship is not imposed on Nigerians.

“I guess the government wants to go back to the drawing table and ensure that it is not accused of multiple taxes or double taxation because consumers will pay VAT for buying fuel. They will now put an additional 5 per cent tax.

“I think this is what Nigerians are complaining about. And from what we just read today is that the Dangote fuel taken from Nigeria is now cheaper in Togo than in Nigeria I think about 65 naira.

“So, the government will have to review these developments (the proposed 5 per cent fuel surcharge) and ensure more hardship is not imposed on Nigerians,” he said.

Business

Falana Reveals Those Behind Subsidy Removal

Published

15 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has once again criticised President Bola Tinubu’s removal of the fuel subsidy.

Speaking in an interview on Sunday’s Politics, a programme on Channels Television, the human rights activist stated that no country in the world has completely abolished subsidies.

“There’s no way you can remove subsidy completely. No country in the entire world has abolished subsidies completely.

“Even leading Western countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France and others subsidise electricity, agriculture, and many aspects of the lives of their people.

“So, when the Nigerian Government said it was removing subsidies, as a matter of fact, if I must say this, it was the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, that insisted that the government must remove all subsidies,” he said.

Business

‘We Like Greek Gifts,’ Nigerians Blast NUPENG Over Dangote’s Fuel Price Reduction

Published

2 days ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

The decision of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to warn Nigerians against accepting Dangote Refinery’s recent fuel price reduction has drawn heavy backlash on social media, with many citizens mocking the union and embracing what they described as “much-needed relief.”

Dangote had announced lower petrol pump prices in several states alongside a new scheme to deploy compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks directly to filling stations, a move expected to reduce logistics costs.

But NUPENG dismissed the offer as a “Greek gift,” alleging that the refinery was undermining workers’ rights, sidelining the union, and pushing drivers into a rival association.

However, netizens have lambasted the union, querying that during hard times, NUPENG has never supported the masses.

On X (formerly Twitter), Nigerians quickly turned NUPENG’s warning into a trending topic, using humour and sarcasm to lampoon the union.

Oloye Somorin Osifeso (@OloyeSomorin) wrote: “We like Greek gifts in my garage.”

Just Jude (@JustJude) asked bluntly: “Is it your deception?”

Oladele (@Oladele) quipped: “As Dangote Refinery dey offer Nigerians Greek gift, why can’t NUPENG too offer Nigerians French gift?”

Agbalaka (@Agbalaka) queried: “Can they tell Nigerians what exactly they are fighting about?”

CBN Gov Akinsola (@Akinsola) joked: “Then give us Trojan gift now 😆. Man do man. Man no go vex.”

Omobalaji (@Omobalaji) teased: “NUPENG, oya surprise us with Arabian gifts.”

Habdulakeem Bahdmus (@BahdmusHabdulakeem) added: “If Dangote is showering Nigerians with Greek gift, NUPENG can also set up a Roman gift now.”

Femi Yekinni (@FemiYekinni) steered it back to reality: “We thank them for their advice. Now, @DangoteGroup pls how do we schedule deliveries to Badagry?”

Curtis Abbi (@CurtisAbbi) slammed the union: “Nigerians will manage the Greek gift. @officialNUPENG9, what gift have you given Nigerians in your entire years of existence? NUPENG should offer Nigerians their own Somalian gift 🤣.”

Akin Adejola (@AkinAdejola) echoed the sentiment: “LOL. I can bet Nigerians don’t mind the gift. NUPENG should gift Nigerians same ‘Greek gift’ too if they have any goodwill. NUPENG is the enemy of progress in the oil & gas sector.”

Adeola Akinwande (@adeolarewaju9) criticised union leaders: “Does NUPENG remember Nigerians at hard times? They have all failed Nigerians the same way the @NLCHeadquarters has failed. They are living big on unionism and cashing out big time. Without unionism, some of their excos are nobody. They should stop the crocodile tears.”

Okunwa U. U. Azikiwe (@OkunwaUUazikiwe) argued: “Competition has created jealousy by the previous monopoly in the sale of fuel. They have lost control, and it is paining them that they are no longer in control. SMH!!!”

Solihull Abdulkareem (@SolihullAbdul) chipped in: “NUPENG or whatever, do you want the market to be monopoly? You’ve been doing what you want for many years. It’s time for change, just accept it and move forward.”

Temidayo (@Temidayo) asked: “It’s a lie. What benefits has your union provided for Nigerians? Middlemen syndrome has been room for corruption. Your association should go and buy shares in Dangote and work together to make Nigeria great.”

And LegalTech Sam Akanbi (@SamAkanbi) summed up: “Nigerians no longer want your Nigerian gift, we want the Greek gift. If you have a better offer, we’d abandon Dangote’s Greek gift and take yours. But for now, let the Greek gift go round.”

Recall that NUPENG earlier alleged that Dangote Refinery was forcing truck drivers to abandon its union for a rival group, the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA).

The union also accused Dangote of undermining collective bargaining rights and violating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed under government supervision.

Dangote, however, denies the claims, insisting that union membership remains voluntary and that its delivery scheme is designed to cut costs and ease supply.

The federal government has intervened, with the Ministry of Labour and the Department of State Services mediating between both parties.