The National Bureau of Statistics has revealed that Nigerians in the southeastern part of the country paid the highest kerosene costs in December 2022, according to data on its website.
The NBS’ National Household Kerosene Price Watch report recently published by the agency revealed that Nigerians in the SE region paid an average of N1,203.95/litre of kerosene, with the average cost of a gallon of kerosene in the region reaching N4,337.32.
The NBS gathered that the average retail price per litre of kerosene paid by consumers in December 2022 was N1,104.61, which indicated an increase of 1.94% compared to N1,083.57 recorded in November 2022.
However, on a year-on-year basis, the average retail price per litre of kerosine rose by 136.04% from N467.97 in December 2021.
Kerosene price rises by 146%
Also, the average price per litre of kerosene in the South-South was N1,087.15, in the South-West, it was N1,177.89, but in the North-East, the cost was N1,085.65, in the North-West, it was N1,011.49 and in the North Central, it was N1,095.17 for the period under review.
The average price per gallon of kerosene in the South-South was N3,429.82, in the South-West it was N3,751.05. Meanwhile, in the North-East, the cost was N3,378.69, in the North-West, it was N3,722.18 and in the North-Central, it was N3,967.97, for the period under review.
Analysing the impact on poor Nigerians, Nairametrics reports that many poor Nigerians cannot afford to purchase cooking gas to prepare their meals. As of 2021, kerosene price per litre was less than N500, so a lot of Nigerians who could not afford cooking gas bought kerosene as an alternative cooking source.
However, with the cost increments recorded since 2021 and into 2022, some Nigerians are now turning to firewood as cooking fuel. The problem with that, it said, is firewood is a dirty fuel and contributes to carbon emissions which pollute the environment, especially in the era of climate change.
(PUNCH)
