Kehinde Fajobi
Nigerians in nine states spent a total of ₦312.27 billion on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking, according to a new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on Wednesday.
The 2024 Nigeria Residential Energy Demand-Side Survey, launched by Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, highlights the growing reliance on LPG, fuelwood, and charcoal for energy in households across Nigeria.
The survey, conducted between April 19 and May 5, 2024, covered 7,706 households across nine states: Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ekiti, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto. It provides insights into energy consumption patterns over a 30-day period prior to the survey.
According to the report, 19.4% of households used LPG, with an average monthly expenditure of ₦10,239.7. Sokoto led with the highest monthly spending at ₦12,439.3, followed by Enugu with ₦11,852.2. Ekiti recorded the lowest average spending at ₦8,213.5.
The report stated, “The average monthly expenditure on LPG across the nine states in the past 30 days prior to the survey day was ₦10,239.7. Sokoto state spent the highest with ₦12,439.3, followed by Enugu state (₦11,852.2), while Ekiti state spent the lowest amount (₦8,213.5).”
Despite the increasing use of LPG, traditional fuels like fuelwood remain dominant, with 67.8% of households using it for domestic and agricultural purposes. The total annual spending on fuelwood is estimated at ₦608.72 billion.
Charcoal is also widely used, with 22% of households relying on it for cooking. However, charcoal production remains minimal, with only 0.3% of households engaged in production.
Electricity access remains uneven, with 58.2% of households connected to the national grid. Ekiti had the highest grid access at 79.7%, but 85.2% of connected households still face estimated billing, while only 14.8% use pre-paid meters.
Solar power and generators are also used, with 4.8% of households having solar systems, and another 4.8% using diesel or petrol generators.
Adeniran noted during the launch that the survey offers crucial insights for energy policymakers and operators, stating, “Access to reliable and affordable energy is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of economic growth.”