Gas marketers, represented by the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), have accused owners of LPG terminals of being responsible for the high cost of cooking gas. The President of NALPGAM, Oladapo Olatunbosun, made this statement during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Gas, which was attended by members of the association.
The price of cooking gas, also known as Liquefied Petroleum Gas, has risen to at least N1,200 per kilogram of gas cylinder. Olatunbosun highlighted that the price of cooking gas should not be that high, as terminal owners get the product at a lower price from the Nigerian LNG plant. He explained that the terminal owners purchase the product from the NLNG plant for N9 million per 20 metric tonnes, and then sell to marketers for N16.8 million.
According to Olatunbosun, “Nowadays, when people go to fill up with petrol, the least they get is N1,200 per kg. Imagine the pain of Nigerians. In Nigeria today, can a student or a menial worker afford to cook a cup of beans with a petrol cost of 1,200 naira?” He went on to criticize terminal owners for selling gas at N16.8 million per 20 metric tonnes, which is almost double the price they paid for it.
The chairman of the commission, Jarigbe Jarigbe, assured the Senate would investigate the allegation and find a lasting solution. Jarigbe also promised that the upper house would address the impact of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.