NNPCL Links Cooking Gas Scarcity, Price Surge To PENGASSAN Strike

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has attributed the recent scarcity and price hike of cooking gas across the country to the strike action embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, said the industrial action disrupted gas loading and distribution activities for several days, resulting in what he described as an artificial shortage and spike in retail prices.

Ojulari explained that the situation, though temporary, created panic buying and price manipulation by middlemen, but assured that stability would soon return to the market as operations resume across depots.

He made this known after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House on Sunday, where he provided updates on the company’s efforts to restore normal supply levels nationwide.

Supply Disruption and Artificial Shortage

The NNPCL boss noted that during the period of the PENGASSAN strike, logistics and product loading were halted for about three days, disrupting the supply chain and causing delays in deliveries to gas plants and retailers.

He said this temporary setback triggered an immediate shortage across major cities, forcing prices upward in a matter of days. According to him, as operations normalise, the effects of the disruption will gradually fade out and prices are expected to drop to pre-strike levels.

Ojulari also accused opportunistic retailers of taking advantage of the situation by inflating prices despite having existing stock in their facilities. He added that while such speculative increases were common during brief market shocks, the NNPCL had already intensified efforts to ensure product availability across all depots.

He assured that the company was working with relevant agencies to prevent similar disruptions in the future, especially through improved coordination between labour unions and industry regulators.

Nigerians Feel the Pinch

Across Nigeria, the effects of the shortfall have been widely felt. In Lagos, Abuja, and several other major cities, cooking gas prices have climbed sharply, with residents now paying between ₦2,500 and ₦3,000 per kilogramme, nearly double the cost from earlier this year.

Many gas plants and filling stations have reportedly run out of stock, leaving street vendors and small-scale retailers as the primary sources of supply, often at exorbitant prices. The scarcity has forced some households to cut down on gas usage or switch temporarily to kerosene and charcoal.

The situation followed a nationwide strike launched by PENGASSAN in protest of the alleged dismissal of Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery. The action, which began in late September, was suspended on October 1 after the intervention of the Federal Government.

With operations now fully restored, NNPCL says normal distribution will resume over the coming days, and consumers should begin to see a gradual reduction in prices as supplies stabilise.

Ojulari reaffirmed the company’s commitment to ensuring steady availability of domestic gas and urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying, stressing that the recent scarcity was a short-term disruption, not a long-term supply crisis.