Awka, June 16, 2026 — Residents of Awka have raised concerns over the sharp increase in the price of cooking gas, calling on government authorities to urgently step in and address the situation affecting households across the area.
The residents expressed their worries in separate interviews in Awka on Tuesday, noting that the instability in cooking gas prices over the past six months has placed additional pressure on living conditions.
Mr Ralphael Okafor, Chief Executive Officer of Ricolen Enterprise Nigeria, a gas retail outlet in Awka, said he had spent over three decades in the business but had never experienced such persistent price fluctuations.
He explained that at the start of the year, a kilogram of cooking gas sold for about N1,050, later rising to N1,150, then N1,200, and subsequently N1,500. He added that the current price now ranges between N1,800 and N2,000 depending on location.
According to him, the increase is already affecting sales, as some customers are turning to firewood and charcoal as alternatives.
He stressed the need for authorities to investigate the root causes of the price instability, whether from production shortages, distribution challenges, or market practices, in order to achieve stability.
Okafor also warned that the rising cost has significant economic implications for households, while noting the environmental consequences of increased reliance on firewood and charcoal.
He urged government intervention across the production and supply chain to help reduce the burden on consumers.
A civil servant, Mrs Chindimma Okoye, said the rising cost of cooking gas was worsening the financial strain on families, especially salary earners.
She noted that her household of six uses a 12.5kg cylinder for about two months, now costing about N25,000, alongside other domestic expenses.
Another resident, Mrs Uju Igbelina, also a civil servant, said the price in Nise near Awka had risen to about N2,100 per kilogram, attributing it partly to the semi-urban nature of the area. She urged government intervention to ease the hardship on families.
Mrs Ukamaka Ufelle, another civil servant, said she recently purchased a 12.5kg cylinder for N25,000 compared to N17,500 in April, noting that the increase was worsening the struggle to afford basic needs. She called for a stakeholders’ forum to address the issue.
A businessman, Mr Chinedu Ugwuoke, lamented that the rising cost of cooking gas and food items was becoming unbearable for many Nigerians.
He urged government to introduce measures to cushion the impact of rising fuel and energy costs, including diesel and other petroleum products.
Mrs Amara Onuora, a petty trader in Awka, said she had stopped using cooking gas due to the high price and now relies on a charcoal stove.
She explained that she had previously switched from kerosene to gas, but the current cost had made it unaffordable.
Onuora said the situation was making it increasingly difficult for families to cope, especially in feeding, adding that she had resorted to charcoal usage until conditions improve.