Nigeria Orders Security Crackdown on Cooking Gas Hoarders as Prices Soar

The Nigerian government has moved decisively to stem the rising cost of cooking gas, directing security and regulatory agencies to aggressively target hoarders, diverters, and anyone creating artificial scarcity in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo issued the stern directive on Monday during an emergency meeting with industry players in Abuja. He described the recent sharp increase in LPG prices as a serious burden on ordinary households, small food vendors, and the wider economy, and made clear that the government will no longer tolerate practices that exploit Nigerian consumers.

With a standard 12.5kg cylinder now costing between ₦25,000 and ₦32,000 in many areas and retail prices reaching as high as ₦2,000 to ₦2,500 per kilogramme in some locations, the government says it will no longer tolerate artificial scarcity and profiteering.

Ekperikpe instructed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to step up market surveillance, tighten pricing rules, and work hand-in-hand with the DSS, EFCC, and police to dismantle networks involved in hoarding and illegal storage. Operators found distorting supply or inflating prices will face swift sanctions.

“We have directed the NMDPRA to intensify monitoring and collaborate with security agencies to discourage hoarding, eliminate artificial scarcity, and bring transparency to distribution and pricing,” the minister said.

Marketers at the meeting signalled readiness to import more gas in the short term, while new domestic supplies from projects such as Seplat are expected to ease pressure soon. The government is also pushing a local blending programme involving Nigeria LNG and depot owners to reduce reliance on imports and stabilise prices over time.

Ekperikpe sought to calm public anxiety, insisting there is “no cause for panic” and reaffirming the administration’s commitment to the Decade of Gas initiative for cleaner cooking and energy security.

NMDPRA Chief Executive Rabiu Umar backed the tougher stance, announcing a fresh enforcement drive and warning that those pushing prices excessively high will be dealt with firmly. He promised visible improvements in both supply and pricing before the end of next month.

The emergency gathering included major suppliers, distributors, and consumer representatives. For millions of Nigerians who depend on LPG as their main cooking fuel, the government’s willingness to deploy security agencies signals a more muscular response to a problem that has repeatedly triggered public frustration in recent years.