Nigerians in Nine States Spend N312.27bn on Cooking Gas – Report

Nigerians in nine states spent a staggering N312.27 billion on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) over the past year, according to the latest report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday.

The 2024 Nigeria Residential Energy Demand-Side Survey provides a detailed look at the energy consumption patterns across the country, highlighting the reliance on LPG, fuelwood, charcoal, and other energy sources for cooking and heating. Conducted across 7,706 households, the survey spans nine states—Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ekiti, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto—representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Data collection for the report took place between April 19 and May 5, 2024, using a systematic sampling method. It revealed that 19.4% of surveyed households used LPG within 30 days of the survey, with the average household spending N10,239.7 on cooking gas.

Sokoto State recorded the highest monthly average expenditure at N12,439.3, followed closely by Enugu with N11,852.2. Ekiti State reported the lowest average monthly expenditure on LPG at N8,213.5. The report also noted that 39% of households obtain their LPG from cylinder-to-cylinder vendors, followed by filling stations (34.2%) and gas refilling plants (26.8%).

Despite the growing use of LPG, the report underscores the continued dominance of traditional fuels like fuelwood, which is still widely used for cooking, agricultural, and commercial purposes. A staggering 67.8% of households reported using fuelwood, with Bauchi and Sokoto states being particularly reliant on it. In total, Nigerians spent an estimated N608.72 billion annually on fuelwood, with each household averaging N117,347 per year.

Charcoal remains another widely used cooking fuel, with 22% of households relying on it, though only 0.3% are involved in its production, concentrated in Kwara and Ekiti states.

The report also highlights electricity access as a key issue, with 58.2% of households connected to the national grid. Ekiti leads with 79.7% of households having grid access. However, 85.2% of those connected are still subjected to estimated billing, while only 14.8% have access to prepaid meters. Solar energy is gradually gaining traction, with 4.8% of households using solar home systems or mini-grids.

Diesel and petrol generators remain a significant part of Nigeria’s energy landscape, with 4.8% of households using generators, purchasing an average of 7.38 litres of fuel monthly. The majority of fuel purchases (86.7%) are made at filling stations, reflecting the continued dependency on petrol-powered generators due to unreliable electricity supply.

Speaking at a press briefing, the Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, officially launched the 2024 survey, emphasizing its importance. He described access to reliable and affordable energy as a fundamental human right and a driver of economic growth. The survey, he added, provides crucial data for policymakers and stakeholders in the energy sector as Nigeria grapples with rising demand and affordability challenges.

The survey is a collaborative effort between the NBS, the Federal Ministry of Power, the Energy Commission of Nigeria, the International Energy Agency, and the European Union.