Nigerians have once again revisited Bola Tinubu’s administration’s failed promise to make cooking gas affordable, as prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) continue to soar beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
A resurfaced tweet by @Naija_PR quoting the presidency’s pledge that gas would sell at N230 per kilogram has sparked fresh outrage online following the latest hike that pushed prices up by nearly 40 per cent in one week.
Social commentator @Tope_soft criticised citizens who still defend the regime despite the worsening cost of living, writing, “Bruh. People are telling others with a straight face that you should reward this kind of brazen crisis with another term. What’s wrong with people? I can understand those in the government that need to protect their pot of soup, but you are not eating inside and defending this ferociously; you need deliverance!”
The backlash comes amid reports that a 12.5 kg cylinder of cooking gas now costs around ₦25,000, up from 17,500 just a week ago, according to data from Vanguard and West Africa Weekly.
Across several states, one kilogramme of gas now sells for between N1,500 and N2,000, marking one of the steepest increases in recent months and deepening economic pain for millions of Nigerians.
Long queues have re-emerged at gas plants across Lagos and neighbouring states as residents scramble to refill before supplies completely dry up.
However, that assurance means little to Nigerians already struggling under rising inflation and a collapsing currency that has eroded purchasing power.
Since Bola Tinubu removed fuel subsidies in mid-2023, petrol prices have more than tripled, pushing transport fares, food costs, and housing expenses far beyond what many families can afford.
A civil servant in Lagos told reporters, “Cooking gas used to be one of the few stable things in the house. Now even that is gone. We can’t cook freely anymore, and everything – food, transport, rent – is rising at once.”
The Tinubu administration has repeatedly defended its economic reforms as necessary for long-term stability, but citizens say the hardship has become unbearable.
Even the government’s touted alternative — Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) — has failed to bring relief, as prices of CNG have also surged, further straining household budgets.
Economists warn that the combination of high inflation, weak wages, and persistent fuel-related price shocks could push more Nigerians into poverty before the end of the year.
With a 5 per cent fossil fuel surcharge and a new tax regime set to begin in January 2026, the pressure on households is expected to worsen unless the government takes urgent corrective action.
From fuel to gas and food to transport, Nigerians continue to question the Renewed Hope agenda, which increasingly feels to many like renewed hardship.
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