Dangote Vows to Slash Cooking Gas Prices, Threatens Direct Sales to Consumers
The Dangote Group has announced its commitment to reducing the price of cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas, LPG) across the country.
The company, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, made it clear that it will not hesitate to bypass middlemen and sell directly to consumers if marketers attempt to sabotage the price reduction.
The announcement comes amid growing public frustration over the soaring cost of cooking gas, which has continued to rise despite increased local production and lower international prices. For many Nigerian households, especially low- and middle-income earners, cooking gas has become increasingly unaffordable, forcing some to revert to less sustainable and more hazardous alternatives like firewood and charcoal.
Dangote’s intervention is being seen as a strategic move to not only offer consumers relief but also to dismantle what many perceive as a price-fixing cartel within the LPG distribution chain.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery is ready to intervene in the LPG market to ensure that Nigerians are not exploited,” a senior official at the company said. “We have the capacity to flood the market with affordable gas. If the marketers won’t align with this effort to bring prices down, we will take our products directly to the people.”
The company’s entry into the gas distribution market follows the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery, which includes a petrochemical plant capable of producing large volumes of LPG. This infrastructure gives Dangote a significant advantage in controlling supply, reducing dependency on imports, and stabilizing local pricing.
Energy experts believe this move could introduce much-needed competition into the sector and disrupt monopolistic practices by established marketers.
The company is also reportedly exploring logistics and partnerships that will enable it to deliver cooking gas directly to homes, retail stations, and community hubs across the country.
Consumer rights groups and economic analysts have welcomed the announcement, urging the federal government and regulatory agencies to support such private-sector interventions aimed at protecting the welfare of citizens.
If successfully implemented,
Dangote’s plan could usher in a new era of accessibility, affordability, and transparency in Nigeria’s domestic gas market.
