For Rasheed Ahmed, who resides in Agbado Oke-Odo, the fear of being told that the gas at home has finished is more terrifying than a death sentence.

"It's scary to be told nowadays that cooking gas in the house has been exhausted since it costs a fortune to refill," he stated.

He and his family also supplement their cooking with charcoal, but he complained that its price is gradually slipping beyond the reach of the common man as a result of the hike in the price of cooking gas and increased demand for charcoal among residents.

A survey across the Agbado-Ijaiye-Iju-Ishaga axis revealed that retailers on the streets sell one kilogramme of the essential commodity for between N2,000 and N2,200.

Meanwhile, the same quantity goes for between N1,700 and N1,800 at gas plants and filling stations, depending on the location.

However, only a few residents can afford the long trek required to patronise these stations.

Visits by Saturday Tribune to some outlets selling cooking gas in the Aboru area of Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area also revealed inconsistencies in pricing. While some outlets sell as high as N2,200 per kilogramme, a few others sell between N1,800 and N2,000.

A gas seller, who did not want her name in print, attributed the development to supply challenges, adding that getting stocks replenished had been difficult in recent weeks. She also linked the disparity in prices to the source of supply.

However, when further probed on the latest development, she expressed optimism that the situation was improving.

"A few days ago, I was selling this at N2,200 per kg; now it's N2,000. We pray that in the next few days things improve," she stated.

But no explanation would assuage the feelings of Madam Josephine Demilade, a resident of Jankara-Ijaiye.

"The 4kg of gas I bought last week within the neighbourhood cost N8,800," she complained.

"I was furious to learn about the new price because the one I bought just three weeks earlier was N1,400 per kg, which I even considered high then.

"How does one explain a N600 increase within 21 days? We complained bitterly back then that N1,400 was too expensive, and now we do not even know how to describe the current price," she stated.

Mrs Demilade, a mother of three, pointed out that kerosene stoves and firewood are no longer viable alternatives.

According to her, kerosene is equally expensive, while firewood poses serious health and environmental hazards. She urged the government to intervene urgently and find a lasting solution to the crisis.

But while the challenge is being felt across the country, Makinde believes what makes the Lagos situation different is the city's peculiar nature.

"For instance, while those in other communities can easily resort to the use of firewood, charcoal and even hot plates for cooking, such options are not readily available in Lagos. As it is today, only very few landlords will allow the use of charcoal stoves on their properties, while it is also rare to find any that will permit tenants to use firewood. And for those who still enjoy a few hours of electricity, some landlords will not allow the use of hot plates, especially where tenants are on shared prepaid metres," Makinde stated.

The charcoal challenge

As the price of cooking gas continues to rise, Saturday Tribune's checks revealed that the development has also pushed up charcoal prices, creating further hardship for residents seeking alternatives.

"The quantity that used to sell for N100 now costs as much as N200 to N300. So charcoal itself is gradually becoming a no-go area for the average Lagosian who wants to abandon cooking gas for now.

"What people do now is first put stones in the charcoal stove before placing a few pieces of charcoal on top of them to make whatever quantity they bought last longer. It sounds strange, but that is how people have been surviving," Makinde stated.

Marketers' defence

Refuting allegations that marketers are thriving on the present crisis, the President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Mr. Edu Iyang, blamed the development on a shortage in LPG supply. He lamented that marketers now pay as much as N30 million, depending on location, for 20 metric tonnes of cooking gas.

He observed that the crisis has brought untold hardship to millions of Nigerian households, small businesses, food vendors and low-income families who rely on LPG for daily cooking and livelihoods.

He warned that if the situation is not immediately addressed, citizens may direct their anger at owners of gas-filling stations.

Besides, he said the crisis could trigger broader consequences, including accelerated food inflation, the collapse of small-scale LPG retail businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence and a significant setback to Nigeria's clean-energy and climate commitments.

As a way out, Iyang called for immediate measures to improve the availability and accessibility of LPG nationwide, urging the government to increase domestic LPG allocation to the Nigerian market.

Federal Government intervention

Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it has directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify engagement with producers, marketers and other stakeholders to sustain supply and enhance market stability.

According to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, marketers have also been urged to increase import volumes to complement domestic production.

The minister said the recent price adjustments were driven largely by prevailing market realities such as foreign-exchange volatility, rising logistics costs, infrastructure constraints and fluctuations in international LPG prices.

However, he stated that the commencement of LPG deliveries from the new Seplat gas facility in July would significantly boost national supply.

The minister also confirmed that no producer is exporting LPG volumes designated for the domestic market, as regulatory measures remain firmly in place to prioritise local needs.

"The outlook for LPG supply remains positive, and the Federal Government will continue to pursue measures that enhance availability, affordability and long-term energy security for Nigerian consumers," the minister said in a statement.