By Ejiofor Toochi Cynthia
Within the last few months, states in Nigeria witnessed a surge in the price of Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG) also known as cooking gas. This gas is usually consumed in households and for industrial purposes. As of April 2021, 12.5kg cooking gas (being the most common for domestic use) was refilled for about ₦4000 but is currently sold for ₦6,500; 3kg gas is now ₦1500.
The NLNG inability to expand the allocation of cooking gas because of limited supply sources is a major reason for the rising price. There’s a need to import gas but the exchange rate to dollars is high. So, import costs will impact the price of LPG in the country even more.
Not long ago, the demand for cooking gas rose because it was considered fast, affordable, odourless, and could be used indoors. Due to this high demand, the cost of refilling witnessed an increase. But with the recent hike, some Nigerians are considering a more affordable replacement. Some have resorted to using kerosene stove or firewood/charcoal as it’s currently more affordable.
“We previously used a kerosene stove in my house before, but seeing how fast and cheap gas was, my husband and I decided to get the 12.5kg gas cylinder because of our big family. Up until this year, we refilled it every month for less than 4000 naira. But with the rate at which the price is increasing, we might go back to using the kerosene stove instead,” a mother of four said.
Even the people that run food businesses would have to increase the price of the food they sell in order to make profits. It was also discovered that some people with post-paid electric meters are increasingly employing electric cookers to cut down their cooking gas consumption.
This rise is also contributing to the increase of other commodities making the situation in the country only more difficult for citizens. It has indeed left a negative impact in the lives of many Nigerians.
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