Nigeria’s LPG transport peaked in 2020, 2021 and 2023. This is according to data from HydroCarbon Information Services (HydroCIS).
In a recent insight report, HydroCIS noted that over the past five years, Nigeria’s cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas) market has relied on Gas Carriers (GC), Medium Gas Carriers (MGC), and Large Gas Carriers (LGC) for transporting cargoes.
These vessels, categorized by their capacity, reached peak transport levels of 114 kt in 2023, 787 kt in 2021, and 239 kt in 2020.
In the cooking gas market, vessels are classified based on their cargo capacities:
- Shuttle: 0-8,000 CMB (<5,000 Tonnes)
- Gas Carrier: 8,000-20,000 CMB (5-11,000 Tonnes)
- Medium Gas Carrier: 20,000-50,000 CMB (11-29,000 Tonnes)
- Large Gas Carrier: 50,000-70,000 CMB (29-40,000 Tonnes)
- Very Large Gas Carrier: 70,000 CMB+ (40,000 Tonnes+)
Interestingly, HydroCIS noted that the Medium Gas Carrier handles the highest volume of cargo, while the Gas Carrier deals with the least.
However, the Medium Gas Carrier’s delivery volumes have decreased by 28%, 29%, and 22% respectively in comparison to the preceding three years—2022, 2021, and 2020.
Conversely, the distribution volumes for the Gas Carrier and Large Gas Carrier have seen significant growth, increasing by 81% and 500% respectively during the same period.
For reference, HydroCIS cites specific LPG vessels in these categories:
Gas Carrier (GC): Amaury Neyrand, Claude, Francois, MT Louis, etc.
Medium Gas Carrier (MGC): Alfred Termile, Navigator Capricorn, etc.
Large Gas Carrier (LGC): Aquarama, Verrazane, Surville, Sahara Gas, etc.
Cooking gas status quo
It is barely three weeks to Christmas and cooking gas prices are increasing due to the fact that the country still relies on a significant number of imports. Cooking gas prices differ across the country; however, a significant number of states are refilling 12.5kg at N1200 per kg.
However, it is important to note that the federal government has said it is taking steps to intervene in cooking gas prices. The Minister for Petroleum Resources (Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, has urged operators like Chevron to increase cooking gas supply during the Christmas period, to crash prices and ease the economic burden on Nigerians.
