By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Nigeria’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports increased by an alarming 1,400 per cent in June 2026 as domestic supply declined sharply, highlighting the country’s growing dependence on imported cooking gas despite possessing one of Africa’s largest natural gas reserves.
The development has raised fresh concerns over energy security, affordability and the efficiency of Nigeria’s gas sector.
According to data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the surge in imports coincided with a reduction in locally supplied LPG, forcing marketers to source more products from the international market. Industry experts warn that increased import dependence could expose consumers to higher prices driven by foreign exchange fluctuations and global market volatility.
The report also revealed that Nigeria flared an estimated $888.2 million worth of natural gas over the past 18 months, despite repeated government commitments to end routine gas flaring and maximise domestic gas utilisation.
Energy analysts argue that the continued waste of valuable gas resources represents a significant economic loss and a missed opportunity to boost local LPG production, expand electricity generation and support industrial development.
Experts have called for accelerated investment in gas infrastructure, stricter enforcement of anti-gas-flaring regulations and policies that encourage domestic processing and distribution.
They maintain that reducing gas flaring while increasing local production is essential to achieving energy security, lowering cooking gas prices and unlocking the full economic potential of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources.
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