By John Umeh
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, has attributed the recent increase in cooking gas prices across the country to a temporary disruption in supply caused by last week’s strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Speaking with State House correspondents, Ojulari explained that the industrial action halted loading and distribution of cooking gas for several days, which triggered an artificial rise in prices.
“The increase you saw was relatively artificial because, for the period of the strike, movements and loading were delayed by about two, three days. And because of that, you see that impact. As things return back to normal, it takes some time for distribution to be fully restored,” he said.
Retailers Exploited the Disruption
Ojulari also accused some retailers of taking advantage of the temporary supply shortage to inflate prices.
“As you know, in Nigeria, people take opportunity. With that delay, some of the people that had existing resources and reserves had to put up the price,” he noted.
He stressed that while the supply disruption was short-lived, the ripple effect of delayed deliveries allowed unscrupulous players to hike prices beyond what was justifiable.
Prices Expected to Normalize Soon
The NNPC boss reassured Nigerians that the situation is under control and that prices are expected to drop as supply chains stabilise.
“My expectation is that now that things are back to normal, prices should return to what they were before the strike,” Ojulari stated confidently.
He also emphasised that the company is working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth loading, transportation, and delivery of cooking gas to depots and retailers nationwide to avoid future price spikes.
Background: The Strike That Sparked the Increase
The recent industrial action by PENGASSAN followed disputes over the dismissal of Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery. Although the strike lasted only a few days, it disrupted petroleum product supply, including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), widely used by households and businesses for cooking.
Industry observers say the episode underscores the fragility of Nigeria’s supply chain for essential energy products and the ease with which short-term disruptions can impact household budgets.
Looking Ahead
As operations normalise, the NNPC says it is committed to improving supply resilience to prevent sudden price increases in the future. Ojulari also called on retailers to act responsibly and avoid exploiting consumers during temporary shortages.
With supply already resuming, Nigerians can expect gradual price relief in the coming weeks, restoring stability to the domestic cooking gas market.
