Nigeria imported far more cooking gas in June 2026 even as it flared natural gas worth about $888.2 million over the past 18 months, raising fresh concerns about domestic energy supply despite the country’s vast gas reserves.
LPG Imports Soar as Local Supply Falls
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) imports rose by 1,400 per cent, from 0.1 kilotonnes per day (KT/D) in May to 1.5 KT/D in June 2026.
Meanwhile, domestic LPG supply dropped by 10 per cent, falling from 4.0 KT/D to 3.6 KT/D. Consequently, imports accounted for nearly 30 per cent of Nigeria’s total daily LPG supply, despite the government’s Decade of Gas plan to boost local production.
Nigeria Exports Most Gas Despite Local Shortages
Meanwhile, figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that Nigeria flared 301.60 billion standard cubic feet (BSCF) of gas between January 2025 and June 2026, with an estimated value of $888.24 million.
Furthermore, the country exported 1.506 trillion standard cubic feet (TSCF) of gas during the period, compared with 1.162 TSCF supplied to the domestic market. This means about 56.5 per cent of marketed gas went to export markets, while 43.5 per cent remained for local use.
Concerns Over Domestic Gas Supply
However, the figures have renewed concerns over Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported LPG and continued gas exports, even as power plants, manufacturers and other industries face domestic gas shortages.
Experts say the trend contrasts with the Federal Government’s commitment under the Decade of Gas initiative to increase gas supply for electricity generation, industrial growth, fertiliser production and compressed natural gas (CNG) development.
