BENJAMIN OMOIKE
The desire of poor Nigerians to cook with common kerosene may have been further eroded as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), confirms that on a year-on-year basis, the average retail price per litre of Household Kerosene (HHK) actually increased by 98.76 per cent in July 2022.
The income of the poor sadly remains abysmally regressing.
The NBS National Household Kerosene Price Watch for July 2022 released in Abuja on Friday highlighted this.
The report is however silent, on its corresponding impact on wood felling or deforestation.
According to the report, the average retail price per litre of the product rose by 98.76 per cent from N397.34 in July 2021 to N789.75 in July 2022.
The report said on a month-on-month basis, there was a 3.68 per cent increase in the product in July 2022 at N789.75 compared to N761.69 recorded in June 2022.
On state profile analysis, the report revealed that the highest average price per litre of Kerosene in July 2022 was recorded in Enugu with N1,003.68, followed by Ekiti with N989.58 and Osun with N949.12.
On the other hand, the lowest price was recorded in Bayelsa with N643.06, followed by Benue with N654.76 and Rivers with N655.24.
The report said that analysis by zone showed that the South-West recorded the highest average retail price per litre of Household Kerosene with N900.90, followed by the South-East with N892.40 and North-Central with N761.92.
“While the South-South recorded the lowest with N727.07.’’
In addition, the average retail price per gallon of Household Kerosene paid by consumers in July 2022 was N2,886.41, showing an increase of 7.98 per cent from N2,673.04 in June 2022.
The report said that on a year-on-year basis, the increase indicated a 121.60 per cent increase from N1,302.56 in July 2021.
On state profile analysis, Abuja recorded the highest average retail price per gallon of Household Kerosene with N3,600.00, followed by Enugu with N3,500.75 and Ekiti with N3,450.00.
On the other hand, the report said Zamfara recorded the lowest price with N2,430.57, followed by Borno and Gombe with N2,500 and N2,530 respectively.
Analysis by zone showed that the South-West recorded the highest average retail price per gallon of Household Kerosene with N3,186.93, followed by the South-East and North-Central with N3,130.76 and N2,924.73 respectively.
The North-East recorded the lowest average retail price per gallon with N2,597.04.
Similarly, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) Price Watch for July 2022 revealed a 105.35 per cent increase in refilling 5kg of the product on a year–on–year basis.
According to the report, on a year-on-year basis, this rose by 105.35 per cent from N2,141.59 in July 2021 to N4,397.68 in July 2022.
The report said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 4.25 per cent on a month-on-month basis from N4,218.38 recorded in June 2022 to N4,397.68 in July 2022.
On state profile analysis, Adamawa recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cooking gas cylinder with N4,966.67, followed by Plateau with N4,650.00, and Kwara and Gombe with N4,625.00 each.
On the other hand, the report said Kano recorded the lowest price with N3, 981.25, followed by Yobe and Bauchi with N4,000.00 and N4,071.03 respectively.
Analysis by zone showed that the North-Central recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Cooking Gas with N4,552.62, followed by the North-East with N4,456.88.
The report said the North-West recorded the lowest with N4,218.27.