Nigeria continued to export cooking gas despite shortages in the local market that have driven up prices and forced marketers to rely on imports.

Data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that local producers exported excess volumes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and propane between January and May 2026, even as domestic supply remained below national demand.

The regulator said Nigeria requires about 1.42 million metric tonnes of LPG annually, but supplies have fallen short of that target. Although local production has increased, the country still recorded a supply gap, making imports necessary to meet consumer demand.

The report identified Nigeria LNG as the largest producer during the period, followed by Chevron Nigeria, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Seplat Energy. It also revealed that Chevron exported all of its LPG output without supplying the domestic market, while other producers supplied local markets and exported propane.

To ease shortages, marketers imported more than 16,000 metric tonnes of cooking gas in June. The NMDPRA also blamed high retail prices on profiteering and distribution challenges, warning that rising costs could undermine the government’s clean energy drive as more households switch back to charcoal and firewood.