Kerosene price doubles in 12 months
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Kerosene, the fuel for cooking in poor households, doubled in price in March versus 12 months prior, with Adamawa, Abuja, and Bauchi selling at the highest rate and Jigawa, Kaduna, and Edo in the bottom rung of the price ladder.
The figures are contained in the latest release from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its National Household Kerosene Price Watch report which shows the average price of N564.55 per litre in March 2022 rose 102.37 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to N1,142.46 in March 2023.
Consumers also paid an average price of N4,105.25 per gallon in March 2023, a 104.07 per cent jump above N2,011.70 in March 2022.
The NBS listed states with the highest average prices per litre of kerosene as Adamawa (N1,595.24), Abuja (N1,368.52), and Bauchi (N1,314.58).
States with the lowest average price per litre are Jigawa (N916.67), Kaduna (N955), and Edo (N957.14).
Zonal price variations
The report listed the average price per litre across the six zones as follows:
- North Central – N1,105.17
- Northwest – N981.47
- Northeast – N1,256.59
- South East – N1,248.68
- South West – N1,197.56
- South South – N1,116.05
The NBS said states with the highest average prices per gallon of kerosene are Lagos at N5,670.13, Borno at N4,800, and Zamfara at N4,750.
States with the lowest prices per gallon are Delta at N2,367.86, Rivers at N2,811.36, and Cross River at N3,268.57.
The zonal average prices per gallon are North Central (N4,025.71), North West (N4,490.78), North East (N4,512.25), South East (N4,256.77), South West (N4,151.74), and South South (N3,168.51).
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Impact of price rise on the poor
Poor households in communities around major cities like Abuja and Lagos use kerosene stoves for cooking, especially now in the rainy season.
Nairametrics spoke to Haruna Abdullahi, a young man who lives in Kuruduma community behind the lush Asokoro District in the Federal Capital (FCT), Abuja.
He said he buys a gallon of kerosene every month to cook with stove in his single-room apartment, funded from his salary of N40,000 per month as a security guard.
Abudullahi lamented the consistent increase in the price of kerosene, saying he cannot afford to buy cooking gas because of his meagre salary.
He said he ensures the gallon of kerosene lasts an entire month by avoiding cooking beans, which drains fuel, opting for simple foods, and attending a lot of neighbourhood events to eat food.