By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Rising energy and living costs in the Federal Capital Territory have forced many residents to abandon Liquefied Petroleum Gas for firewood and charcoal.
Cooking gas prices currently range between N1,400 and N1,500 per kilogram, pushing households to adopt cheaper cooking alternatives.
Residents, who spoke in separate interviews on Wednesday, said many families now combine charcoal, firewood and cooking gas to cope with rising living expenses.
A survey showed that a bag of charcoal sells for between N8,000 and N10,000, while five pieces of firewood cost between N2,000 and N2,500.
A litre of kerosene was also selling for between N2,020 and N2,100 at some retail outlets.
Mr Manasseh Amos, a public servant in Karu, said the rising cost of gas had placed additional pressure on family budgets.
“Before now, I could refill my 12.5kg cylinder for about N14,000 or less, but now it costs between N16,000 and N17,000 or more,” he said.
Amos said many households now reduce how often they cook with gas or alternate with charcoal to cut costs.
Similarly, Mrs Nkechi Desmond, a resident of Dutse-Alhaji, said charcoal had become her alternative cooking fuel despite rising prices.
Another resident, Mr Salami Aderinto, said his family still preferred gas because it was cleaner and faster, although many households had limited options due to rising prices.
A roadside food vendor in Bwari, Hajiya Rabi Ahmadu, said she relied heavily on firewood because using only gas was no longer profitable for bulk cooking.
Mrs Ngozi Ekene, a charcoal and firewood seller in Nyanya, attributed the growing demand for firewood and charcoal to affordability, despite rising transportation costs.
She said many customers who previously bought full bags of charcoal now purchased smaller quantities due to economic hardship.
Experts have repeatedly warned about the health and environmental risks linked to the use of firewood and charcoal.
