Nigeria Imports More Cooking Gas While Exporting Most Of Its Own Supply
Fresh petroleum sector data highlight widening gaps between Nigeria’s domestic gas ambitions and industry realities, with higher LPG imports, declining local supply and continued prioritisation of exports.
Fresh Data Reveal Growing Dependence on Imported LPG
NIGERIA recorded a dramatic increase in cooking gas imports in June 2026 as weakening domestic production forced greater reliance on foreign supplies despite the country’s vast natural gas reserves.
Statistics released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority show that LPG imports climbed from just 0.1 KT/D in May to 1.5 KT/D in June—a 1,400 per cent increase.
Domestic LPG supply, however, declined by 10 per cent during the same period, reducing local production capacity even as consumer demand remained strong.
Overall LPG availability increased because imported volumes filled the supply gap.
Local Production Struggles to Meet Demand
The latest supply breakdown shows that imported LPG accounted for nearly one-third of total national supply during June.
NLNG and SEPNU remained the dominant local suppliers, while contributions from gas processing plants and domestic refineries remained comparatively modest.
Industry stakeholders say the figures highlight continuing limitations in Nigeria’s gas processing and distribution infrastructure despite abundant upstream gas resources.
Gas Flaring Continues Despite Decade of Gas Policy
Separate figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission indicate that Nigeria flared over 301 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas between January 2025 and June 2026.
The flared gas carries an estimated commercial value of about $888 million, representing substantial economic losses alongside environmental consequences for host communities.
Although the country maintained an average gas utilisation rate exceeding 92 per cent during the period, the persistence of gas flaring continues to attract criticism from environmental groups and industry experts.
Export Markets Still Receive the Larger Share
The regulatory data further reveal that export markets continued to receive a larger proportion of Nigeria’s marketed gas than domestic consumers.
More than 1.5 trillion standard cubic feet of gas was exported during the review period, compared with approximately 1.16 trillion standard cubic feet supplied locally.
Analysts warn that prioritising exports while domestic industries experience supply constraints could slow progress toward expanding electricity generation, industrial manufacturing, fertiliser production and compressed natural gas adoption.
Petrol Availability Also Declines
Alongside developments in the gas market, petroleum supply data show that petrol availability declined by approximately 22 per cent, reflecting ongoing adjustments within Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
Energy economists say fluctuating supply patterns continue to influence fuel availability, pricing dynamics and broader market stability.
Calls Grow for Faster Domestic Gas Development
The latest figures have renewed calls for accelerated investment in gas gathering, processing, storage and transportation infrastructure to reduce import dependence and maximise the economic value of Nigeria’s natural gas resources.
Stakeholders argue that strengthening domestic utilisation remains essential to achieving the objectives of the Decade of Gas initiative, improving household energy access, supporting industrial growth and reducing the environmental impact of gas flaring.
They maintain that addressing these structural challenges will be critical if Nigeria is to translate its abundant gas reserves into greater energy security and sustainable economic development.
