Kerosene Scarcity Hits Consumers Hard, Marketers Explain Reasons for Shortage
- Household kerosene has become scarce and expensive in Nigeria, with prices reaching up to N2,000 per litre on the black market
- Petroleum marketers explained that the scarcity is mainly due to low consumer demand, slow sales, and a preference for cleaner energy options
- Consumers shared their struggles with the high cost, while calling on the government to intervene in reducing the soaring price
Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
Many Nigerians are struggling to find Household Kerosene (HHK), also known as kerosene, as it becomes scarce and very expensive.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a survey in Abuja showed that kerosene is now sold between N1,000 and N1,100 per litre at a few fuel stations. At black markets, the price is even higher.
Source: Getty Images
Because of this scarcity, many households are now switching to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly called cooking gas, for their daily needs.
Marketers blame low kerosene demand for shortages
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Retailers Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), explained that kerosene scarcity is mainly because fewer people are buying it.
He pointed out that there are two types of kerosene - Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK), which is used both for cooking and as aviation fuel and Household Kerosene (HHK), used mainly for home purposes.
According to him, the supply of HHK from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) is slow because when marketers buy large amounts, it takes a very long time to sell them.
This slow sale affects their business, as they rely on fast turnover to make profits.
He said:
“If you buy an allocation of 45,000 litres and load in the station, it will take months before it is sold out.
“So, where are you going to get the money to start recycling? Because this is our business, the profit margin is very low."
He also urged consumers to always buy from certified fuel stations to avoid buying mixed or unsafe products.
Cooking gas now a popular choice
Alhaji Maigandi Garima, National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), also confirmed that demand for kerosene has dropped significantly.
He said many Nigerians now prefer cooking gas (LPG), known as a "green energy" option, because it is cleaner and easier to use.
Garima added that even though kerosene is available at the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries, it often takes over two months for marketers to sell their stock due to low demand.
Consumers share their experiences
Some consumers said they had no choice but to buy kerosene from black market sellers at extremely high prices, ranging from N1,500 to N2,000 per litre.
Mrs. Rose Edeh said she no longer uses kerosene for cooking but keeps it at home for other uses like lighting charcoal and killing reptiles. She recently bought a litre for N2,000 on the black market.
She said:
“I had to go in search of the product but could only buy from a black marketer at N2, 000 per litre. Its efficacy in killing reptiles is topnotch.’’
Another consumer, Mrs. Amaka Igwe, called on the government to reduce kerosene prices. She explained that because of the high cost and shortage, she switched to using gas for cooking.
However, she mentioned that some schools still insist that students use kerosene stoves instead of gas to prevent fire explosions.
Source: Getty Images
Residents of 3 states pay more for kerosene
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the average price of Household Kerosene (HHK) paid by consumers continued to rise.
According to the breakdown by states, Abuja had the highest average price in December 2024 at N2,950 per litre, followed by Akwa Ibom at N2,538.26 and Kaduna at N2,510.63.
On the other hand, Borno recorded the lowest price at N1,520.41, followed by Bayelsa at N1,537.22 and Adamawa at N1,696.54.
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Source: Legit.ng
