Oil & Gas : Cooking gas business booms in Nigeria
By Muhammad Adam
The rapid proliferation of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) business, popularly known as cooking gas, in Adamawa is gradually chasing out Kerosene businesses in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey shows that there was rapid growth of gas refilling plants, especially in Yola the state capital and Mubi the business hub of the state.
NAN reports that there are hundreds of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) retail outlets, Cylinder-to-cylinder refilling shops spread across the state.
According to the survey, many households, especially in urban areas now patronised cooking gas more than Kerosene or firewood.
Mrs Aisha Usman, a mother of five and resident of Jimeta in Yola North local government area, said she abandoned Kerosene two years ago after been introduced to gas by her friend.
“Gas is very cheap compared to Kerosene or firewood, it is easy to use and fast for cooking. Every month we spent no less than N12,000 in buying Kerosene and firewood for domestic uses.
“But after migrating to gas, we are now spending between N6,000 to N7,000 monthly,” Usman said.
On the issue of fire disaster, she said if all safety measures are properly handled and followed, there would be less problem.
Mr Ishaku Zira, a road side tea vendor, in Girei local government area, said he stopped using Kerosene in 2020 and he moved to gas because of it availability, affordability and accessibility.
Also contributing, Alhaji Hamisu Jambutu, a Kerosene dealer in Yola North local government, said there was sharp drop of patronage of Kerosene.
“Lack of availability of the commodity (Kerosene) and proliferation of gas plants in the state has seriously affected our business.
“Some few years ago, I used to sell 33,000 litres of Kerosene in one week, but now, the situation has completely changed due to lack of availability of the Kerosene and people are migrating to cooking gas,” Jambutu said.
A 2019 statistic by the Adamawa state Ministry of Environment, indicates that 95 per cent of bakeries, restaurants and road side food vendors rely on firewood and charcoal to run their businesses.
Mrs Sarah Gundiri, Director Forestry, state ministry of environment , observed that the proliferation of cooking gas business in the state would help in curtailing rampart trees felling in the state.
She urged Master Bakers and other relevant stakeholders in the state to embrace using gas as means of their baking and cooking to protect the environment.
Speaking to NAN over the issue, Alhaji Ibrahim Jada, North East Chairman, Liquefied Natural Gas Dealers Association of Nigeria (LNGDAN), said the booming of gas business in Adamawa and other states in the region has gradually phased out Kerosene in some towns.
“Rapid growth of Liquefied Natural Gas business is gradually chasing out Kerosene, firewood and Charcoal businesses in Adamawa and other states in the region.
“The reason is simple, because of availability, cheaper rate and easy use of cooking gas compared to other means of energy people now turned to it,” Jada said.
He said that in 2015 there was only three gas refilling plants in the state, adding that now there are 13 certified and registered gas refilling plants in Yola and Mubi.
He described increment in price of the gas as the major threat to the growth of the energy industry in the state.
“Presently, we are selling One Kilogram of the commodity at a cost price of N400 per litre and there’s possibility the price may increase at any moment,”Jada added.
Speaking on the development, Mr Sadeq Ibrahim, Operations Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Yola Office, confirmed the proliferation of the gas refilling plants in the state.
Ibrahim said that the development would go a long way in improving business activity in the state.
He, however, said that the department had prohibited LPG cylinder to cylinder re-bottling, refilling and decanting.
According to him, the prohibition is necessary to prevent fire disasters as well as protect lives and property of the people.
He advised households, companies and factories to patronage gas as their means and sources of energy.( NAN)