Retailers seek govt grants to expand rural LPG access – EnviroNews

– Advertisement –

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria (LPGAR) has appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders to support rural retailers of cooking gas with grants to expand access to the product.

Chairman of the LPG Retailers Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr. Ayobami Olarinoye, made the appeal in an interview on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Lagos.

Olarinoye said financial support for retailers operating in rural and underserved areas would enable them to grow their businesses and make cooking gas more accessible to households where LPG plants are scarce.

“As a retailer, I will say the government and stakeholders need to encourage retailers. If the government can provide grants to retailers operating in rural areas, it will support them to expand their capacity,” he said.

He also urged LPG plant owners and marketers to work more closely with retailers, describing them as key partners in driving the adoption of clean cooking energy across the country.

According to him, retailers remain the last link in the supply chain, particularly in communities where establishing gas plants is not economically viable.

Speaking on the market, Olarinoye said cooking gas prices had continued to ease as supply improved, although transportation and logistics costs still made LPG slightly more expensive in some rural and remote areas.

“The reality is that prices are dropping and supply has normalised. Almost all depots currently have products available,” he said.

He said retailers in the South-West currently buy LPG at between N1,150 and N1,300 per kilogramme and sell to consumers at between N1,500 and N1,700 per kilogramme.

According to him, retailers in the South-South, including Port Harcourt and Warri, buy the product at between N1,300 and N1,350 per kilogramme and retail it for between N1,600 and N1,700 per kilogramme.

He added that retailers in the South-East, particularly around the Awka-Onitsha axis, purchase LPG at about N1,400 per kilogramme and sell at around N1,700 per kilogramme.

In Kano and Kaduna, retailers buy cooking gas at an average of N1,300 per kilogramme and sell at between N1,600 and N1,700 per kilogramme, depending on location.

Those in the Federal Capital Territory buy at about N1,300 per kilogramme and retail it at an average of N1,500 per kilogramme.

Advertisement

Olarinoye expressed optimism that cooking gas prices would continue to decline, citing improved product availability and stable supply across depots.

“We sincerely look forward to a further drop in prices. I can confirm that there is a steady flow of supply and relative stability for now,” he said.

By Yunus Yusuf