The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited has denied reports that the company was responsible for the recent surge in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG), popularly called cooking gas.
The company in a statement released yesterday, further dismissed reports insinuating that a price hike by the company was responsible for the surge in the price of cooking gas in the domestic market and predicting that scarcity looms as a consequence.
‘‘NLNG dismisses these media reports as speculative and indicative of a fundamental misunderstanding of Nigeria’s intricate market dynamics.
NLNG has been making defining contributions to the domestic LPG market, spurring the steady growth of the nation’s DLPG market volume from less than 50,000 metric tonnes of imported LPG in 2007 to over 1.3 million metric tons of both domestic and imported LPG today.
NLNG currently delivers over 450,000 metric tonnes per annum of Butane, the main product in cooking gas and has embarked on domestic propane supply to further grow the market,’’.
The statement added that the company has committed its entire Butane and Propane production to the domestic market from 2023 and despite feed gas challenges, continues to supply LPG to the domestic market, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of the total market volume.
It added that since the beginning of the year, NLNG has delivered over 380,000 metric tonnes of LPG using the Company’s dedicated LPG vessel.
‘‘NLNG has remained committed to delivering domestic LPG to locations as close to the market as possible by diversifying delivery points starting with Lagos in 2023, fostering competition among terminal owners and ultimately reducing consumer supply chain costs.
Efforts are ongoing to reach terminals in Warri and Calabar as soon as the challenges limiting safe delivery of volumes to these other locations are cleared.
The domestic LPG market, like any other, is subject to dynamic market forces and various external factors. Such factors as changes in exchange rates, and escalating price benchmarks mirroring crude oil prices, and the Panama Canal drought-induced vessel scarcity impacting transport costs especially for imported LPG, have had significant effect on energy prices in the recent times and could undoubtedly be some of the reasons for recent price hikes witnessed in the domestic market.
NLNG maintains an unwavering commitment to ensuring the reliable supply of its LPG production to the domestic market at prices that are reflective of the market. The Company is collaborating with relevant industry stakeholders to achieve this objective and will remain focused on achieving its mission through this avenue among others,’’.