The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has raised the alarm over the worsening cooking gas crisis in Nigeria.

According to the association, the sharp and unexplained increase in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, is forcing millions of households deeper into hardship, while many are resorting to dangerous traditional cooking fuels.

This was detailed in a statement jointly signed by the National President of NALPGAM, Mr. Edu Inyang and the Executive Secretary, Bassey Essien, the association described the current market situation as sad, pathetic and dangerous.

The association noted that cooking gas, which ought to be a basic social commodity, now sells at over N1,500 per kilogram across the country.

The marketers disclosed that operators are currently paying between N25.2 million and N26.2 million for a 20-metric-tonne truckload of LPG depending on location, a development they said has triggered severe price hikes nationwide and placed unbearable pressure on consumers.

According to the association, the rising cost of cooking gas is already inflicting devastating consequences on ordinary Nigerians, particularly low-income families, food vendors, small businesses and urban households that rely on LPG for daily cooking and survival.

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NALPGAM further warned that if urgent intervention is not taken, public frustration may escalate into unrest directed at gas retailers, as consumers increasingly struggle to afford refills.

The association stressed that the worsening supply shortages, soaring depot prices, logistics bottlenecks and escalating operational costs are threatening years of progress made in Nigeria’s clean energy transition campaign.

Chairman of FirstHoldCo, Femi Otedola, has appealed to the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to allocate $100 million worth of shares to him in the proposed listing of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.

He disclosed that he divested his stake in Geregu Power Plc specifically to position himself for investment in the refinery’s initial public offering (IPO), which he described as a transformative industrial platform helping to free Africa from decades of reliance on imported petroleum products.

Otedola made these revelation during a visit by the FirstHoldCo leadership team to the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Limited in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, where he commended Dangote for building the world’s largest single-train refinery and accelerating Africa’s industrial transformation.

“He is a genius and one of the greatest men to emerge from Africa. What he has achieved is helping to liberate the continent from economic dependency and import reliance,” Otedola said. “I have visited this refinery more than 25 times, and I have consistently appealed for $100 million worth of shares during the private placement. That informed my decision to sell my stake in Geregu so I can reinvest in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.”

Otedola also expressed strong confidence in the Group’s planned expansion of refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, noting that Africa’s growing demand for refined petroleum products clearly supports further investment in domestic refining infrastructure.

In his remarks, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, assured that the refinery’s IPO would be broadly inclusive, enabling ordinary Nigerians to become part-owners and benefit from its value creation. He emphasised that the Group is committed to democratising access to investment opportunities by opening participation to retail investors across Nigeria and the African continent.

“We want ordinary Africans to participate in the value being created,” Dangote said. “What companies like Amazon and Apple achieved globally in terms of wealth creation is what we seek to replicate in Africa. We want people to invest, grow with us, and share in the prosperity.”

Dangote further disclosed plans for a proposed East Africa refinery with a projected capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, alongside polypropylene and base oil production facilities. According to him, the project could commence within the next three to four years once construction begins.

He noted that the initiative was not originally captured in the Group’s Vision 2030 strategy, underscoring the company’s trajectory toward exceeding its long-term growth targets.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, described the refinery as a symbol of vision, courage, and industrial ambition capable of inspiring similar investments across Africa.

“If you see this refinery and realise that an individual conceived and delivered a project of this magnitude, already helping to stabilise energy supply across Africa, you cannot help but be inspired,” Alebiosu said. “We have delegates here from the United Kingdom and several African countries who will return home with renewed commitment to building industries that can transform their economies. It is about building Africa together.”

Dangote also highlighted the Group’s sustained leadership across its core businesses over the past five years, including cement operations in 11 African countries, alongside significant investments in refining, petrochemicals, and fertiliser production. He noted that cement capacity has expanded to 55 million tonnes per annum, supported by the development of clinker export terminals to strengthen regional trade.

“We have built businesses that address Africa’s critical needs and create long-term value for the continent,” Dangote said. “Africa must stop exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. That amounts to exporting jobs and importing poverty.”

He added that investor appetite for the refinery’s listing on the Nigerian Exchange has remained exceptionally strong, with demand for the private placement already exceeding $2 billion.

“There is significant interest in both the IPO and the private placement,” he said. “While we are not able to meet all requests, the strong demand reflects investors’ confidence in the refinery and in Africa’s industrial future.”

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to boosting food security across Africa through large-scale fertiliser investments, declaring that the continent has the capacity to feed itself and become a net exporter of agricultural products.

Dangote made this known while addressing journalists in Gode, in Ethiopia’s Somali region, during a high-profile visit hosted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The Prime Minister personally received Dangote and accompanied him to inspect the site of the proposed fertiliser plant, where construction activities are already underway.

Speaking on the strategic importance of fertiliser in agricultural productivity, Dangote noted that Africa’s food insecurity challenges are largely due to limited access to key inputs.

“Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertiliser,” he said. “Through our investments, we are committed to reversing this trend by boosting productivity, empowering farmers, and advancing a sustainable path to food self-sufficiency.”

He added that the Group’s ambition, though bold, is achievable with sustained investment in fertiliser production and agricultural infrastructure.

“Africa has the capacity to feed itself and even export to the rest of the world. Our fertiliser investments across the continent are designed to unlock that potential and secure a prosperous future for our people,” Dangote stated.

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Dangote also announced a significant increase in the Group’s investment in Ethiopia, rising from $2.5 billion to over $4 billion. The expanded scope includes critical infrastructure such as a 110-kilometre pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant, among other new components.

He described Ethiopia as a key strategic destination for Dangote Group’s long-term investments.

“In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4 billion. This makes Ethiopia the second-largest recipient of our investments in Africa, accounting for nearly nine per cent of our continental outlay between now and 2030,” he said.

Dangote further commended Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s leadership and vision for economic transformation.

“The Prime Minister is driving development beyond expectations, but such progress requires strong private sector collaboration. We are proud to partner with Ethiopia to help build one of Africa’s most dynamic economies in the coming decade,” he added.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his remarks, described Dangote as a trusted partner and commended the pace of work on the fertiliser project, which he said aligns with Ethiopia’s broader development priorities.

He emphasised that the project would significantly boost domestic fertiliser production, reduce dependence on imports, and provide critical support to millions of Ethiopian farmers.

According to the Prime Minister, the fertiliser plant will also create extensive employment opportunities, strengthen the industrial value chain, and reinforce Ethiopia’s position as an emerging agro-industrial hub in Africa.

“This type of large-scale investment demonstrates the power of strong collaboration between government and the private sector,” he said. “Expanding such partnerships will accelerate economic growth, attract further investment, and improve the livelihoods of our people.”

The Dangote fertiliser initiative is widely seen as a transformative step toward reshaping Africa’s agricultural landscape, with the potential to enhance productivity, reduce import dependence, and drive inclusive economic growth across the continent.

Photo Caption – L-R: President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, being welcome by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed to Gode, in Ethiopia’s Somali region, during an inspection of the fertiliser plant under construction in Gode, Ethiopia, over the weekend.