Nigeria: Cooking gas prices hit record high in 2024, 3.7x the price in 2016

The average price of cooking gas in Nigeria has increased significantly, from ₦370 per kg in early 2016 to ₦1,390 per kg in June 2024.

After prices peaked at nearly ₦1,500 in May 2024, they fell by 6.1% in June.

The contributing factors to the increase include global energy fluctuations, naira depreciation, supply chain disruptions, and changes in domestic policies.

Here are the average prices of cooking gas in Nigeria since 2016.

Source:

National Bureau of Statistics

Period:

2016 - 2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Tags
Related Insights

Nigeria’s food inflation has risen every month since January 2026, climbing 8.07 percentage points to 16.96% in May
  • Nigeria’s year-on-year food inflation rose for the fourth consecutive month, from 8.89% in January 2026 to 16.96% in May.
  • The rate increased by 8.07 percentage points within the first five months of 2026.
  • May’s 16.96% rate means food prices were, on average, 16.96% higher than they were in May 2025.
  • Food inflation rose from 12.12% in February to 14.31% in March and 16.06% in April before reaching 16.96% in May.
  • Food inflation exceeded Nigeria’s 15.93% headline inflation rate in May, showing that food was a major source of renewed pressure on household expenses.

Among 44 African countries, Nigeria's 16.96% food inflation in May 2026 was lower only than that of Libya and Malawi
  • Nigeria recorded the third-highest food inflation rate among 44 African countries in May 2026.
  • At 16.96%, Nigeria’s rate was lower only than Libya and Malawi, both at 17.6%.
  • Nigeria’s food inflation was nearly 3.5 times the 4.88% average across the countries covered.
  • Eight of the ten countries with the highest food inflation recorded rates above 10%.

A 12.5kg cooking gas refill now costs over 6x what it did in 2016
  • A 12.5kg refill is now over 6x costlier than in 2016.
  • The April 2026 price reached ₦22.4k, up from ₦3.7k in January 2016.
  • Prices stayed fairly stable until 2021, then surged sharply.
  • Fresh reports suggest gas prices kept rising after April 2026.

Every food item tracked has at least doubled in price since May 2023
  • Every comparable food item tracked is now at least twice as expensive as it was in May 2023.
  • Nearly half of the selected food items have more than tripled in price since the month before fuel subsidy removal.
  • Unripe plantain recorded the steepest increase, rising by 469% between May 2023 and April 2026.
  • Ripe plantain, yam tuber, and fresh tilapia also saw extreme increases of more than 300%.
  • Even the slowest-rising staples, including frozen chicken, beans, gari, and maize, still more than doubled in price.

Healthy diet costs rose fastest in Nigeria’s North-West over two years
  • Healthy diet costs rose 49% nationally in two years.
  • North-West states recorded the fastest increases.
  • All seven North-West states rose above the national average.
  • Katsina and Kogi recorded the steepest increases, at 98%.
  • Akwa Ibom had the lowest increase, at 5%.

One adult’s monthly healthy diet takes two-thirds of minimum wage
  • One adult’s healthy diet takes 66% of Nigeria’s minimum wage.
  • The national average monthly cost is about ₦46,230 per adult.
  • Ekiti has the highest burden, at 90% of minimum wage.
  • Six states require over 80% of minimum wage for one adult’s healthy diet.
  • Adamawa has the lowest burden, at 43%.

POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form

A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved