The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average price of 5kg of cooking gas increased from N6,799.18 recorded in February 2026 to N7,655.73 in March 2026.
The NBS said this in its Cooking Gas Price Watch for March released on Tuesday in Abuja.
The report said that the March price represented a 12.60 per cent increase, compared to what was obtained in February.
It said that the average price of 5kg of cooking gas increased on a year-on-year basis by 4.55 per cent from N7,322.49 recorded in March 2025.
On state profile analysis, the report showed that Kaduna recorded the highest average price at N9,212.21 followed by Lagos at N8,909.73, and Taraba at N8,802.78.
It said that Bauchi recorded the lowest price at N6,295.40, followed by Osun and Ondo at N6,457.35 and N4,598.10, respectively.
Analysis of the six zones showed that the North-West recorded the highest average retail price at N8,137.81 for 5kg of cooking gas, followed by the North-East at N7,890.53.
“The South-South recorded the lowest average retail price at N7,300.95,” the report said.
The report said that the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cooking gas increased by 15.62 per cent on a month-on-month basis from N16,997.94 in February to N19,652.83 in March.
It said that the average retail price for 12.5kg cooking gas increased by 6.48 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N18,456.24 in March 2025.
The State profile analysis showed that Nasarawa recorded the highest average retail price of N23,418.12 followed by Kaduna at N23,030.52 and Akwa Ibom at N22,816.74.
The report also showed that the lowest average price for 12.5kg of cooking gas was recorded in Bauchi at N15,738.50, followed by Osun and Ondo at N16,143.38 and N16,495.25, respectively.
Analysis by zone showed that the North-West recorded the highest average retail price of N20,701.66, followed by the North-East at N20,351.32.
The report said that the South-East recorded the lowest price at N18,432.63.
Experts have attributed the surge to be likely driven by volatile foreign exchange rates, global market fluctuations, and high transportation costs involved in moving gas especially to the rural parts in Northern Nigeria.
Mr Opeyemi Alabi, an Economist, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the geopolitical tension in the Middle East caused by the U.S.-Iran war had led to an increase in prices of global Brent crude oil and LPG.
“LPG is a globally traded commodity often priced in US Dollars. Significant fluctuations or a devaluation of the Naira can immediately increase the landing cost of imported gas, which still makes up a large part of Nigeria’s supply.
“When global Brent crude oil prices or international LPG benchmarks increase, Nigeria’s domestic prices typically also rise, including for gas produced locally by Nigeria LNG (NLNG).
“These factors have contributed to a steady upward trend in national energy expenses, with month-on-month increases reaching 12.60 per cent and 15.62 per cent for 5kg and 12.5kg cooking gas, respectively as seen from the report.”
NAN reports that Nigerians have continued to urge the Federal Government to ensure a reduction in cooking gas prices to ease the financial burdens on households.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)