Ghanaian households are facing higher cooking costs following an increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices in the second half of October.
The 18.5% rise means consumers now pay about GH¢48 more for a typical 15-kilogramme refill, putting additional pressure on household budgets and raising concerns about the affordability of a fuel widely used for cooking.
The increase is also likely to intensify calls for targeted government relief to cushion consumers against rising costs.
The Sustainable Energy and Mines Projects Advocacy (SEMPA Africa) says the increase risks worsening household expenditure and weakening demand for clean cooking fuel, particularly as diesel consumers benefit from government measures to cushion fuel costs.
In a policy paper, the organisation said the projected average LPG pump price for the October 16–31 pricing window reached GH¢20.60 per kilogramme, pushing the estimated cost of a 15-kilogramme refill from about GH¢261 to GH¢309.
The increase presents an additional cost burden for households that rely on LPG for daily cooking, while raising concerns about the affordability of clean energy and the potential consequences for Ghana’s transition away from charcoal and firewood.
SEMPA argues that the price movement warrants closer scrutiny because LPG consumers have not received comparable relief to diesel users, despite the importance of cooking gas to household welfare and the country’s clean cooking ambitions.
The organisation attributed much of the increase to a sharp rise in the National Petroleum Authority’s (NPA) minimum price floor, which increased by about 25%, from GH¢11.10 to GH¢13.87 per kilogramme.
According to SEMPA’s calculations, the adjustment accounted for approximately 86% of the projected GH¢3.22-per-kilogramme increase in the average pump price.
Although international LPG prices rose by 7.77% over the same period, the organisation said the increase in the domestic price floor was not fully explained by the published international price and exchange-rate movements.
The discrepancy has prompted SEMPA to call on the NPA and the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) to publish a detailed breakdown of LPG pricing for each pricing window, covering import costs, freight, exchange rates, levies and marketing margins.
For consumers, the issue extends beyond the immediate increase in refill costs to the transparency of the pricing mechanism and the factors determining how international market movements translate into domestic pump prices.
SEMPA said the current pressure appeared to reflect international prices and currency movements rather than a physical supply shortage, making greater transparency and targeted, time-limited relief appropriate options for consideration.
The organisation proposed a temporary partial suspension of selected levies or margins, or a targeted lifeline allocation for registered low-income households.
It also urged the government to consider LPG consumers alongside any extension of diesel relief and to make provision for an LPG price-stabilisation mechanism in the 2027 Budget.
Such support, it said, should prioritise households most exposed to rising cooking fuel costs, have a clearly defined end date and disclose the expected fiscal cost.
The economic implications also extend to Ghana’s clean cooking agenda. SEMPA warned that sustained increases in LPG prices could push some households back towards charcoal and firewood, with consequences for household air quality and pressure on forest resources.
Ghana has committed to achieving 50% household LPG use by 2030. However, SEMPA cited figures from the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy indicating that household LPG use had declined from about 37% to 28%.
The organisation warned that further affordability pressures could also undermine the National Petroleum Authority’s Cylinder Recirculation Model, which seeks to improve safety and reduce the cost of accessing LPG.
Beyond immediate price relief, SEMPA called for monthly publication of LPG import and stock-cover data, a funded rollout schedule for the Cylinder Recirculation Model, and a review of import duties and VAT on cylinders, regulators and efficient cookstoves.
It said a transparent pricing system, combined with targeted support for vulnerable consumers, would help balance household affordability, fiscal discipline and Ghana’s longer-term clean cooking objectives.
