The South-South geopolitical zone is the highest consumer of kerosene in the country with a monthly consumption of 10.17 million litres.
This figure, which was obtained on Friday from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s monthly petroleum industry report, also showed the South-West as coming next with 6.69 million litres. The North-West had the least monthly kerosene consumption with 80, 470 litres.
The report, dated September 2014, put the kerosene consumption of the North-Central at 933,300 litres; South-East, 310,330 litres; North-East, 358,000 and Abuja, 30,710 litres.
It gave the total petroleum product consumption mark as 94.4 million litres, comprising kerosene, diesel and super petrol, among others.
The South-South states comprise Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers, with population figures of 3,902,051; 1,704,525; 2,892,988; 4,112,445; 3,233,366; and 5,198,716, respectively, according to the National Population Commission figure.
The total population is put at 21,044,081, which is 12.37 per cent of the country’s population of 170 million.
The South-South region is said to have consumed 35.36 million litres of petrol (super gasoline); 7.2 million litres of diesel; and 41.6 million litres of straight run gasoline for the period.
According to the corporation, straight run gasoline is a product used for Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) blend, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) and atmospheric residue.
The country is said to have consumed 276.878 million litres of petroleum products, with a breakdown of: 195.6 million litres of super gasoline; 18.57 million litres of household kerosene; 21.05 million litres of auto gas oil; and 41.6 million litres of SRG.
According to the NNPC, the South-South also consumes a total of 92.71 million litres of super petrol and 1.28 million of diesel; making it a total petroleum consumption of 100.69 million litres.
The South-East, North-West, North-East, North-Central and Abuja consumed 17.3 million litres, 9.9 million litres, 12.4 million litres, 27.38 million litres and 14.76 million litres of petroleum products, respectively.
A past President of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, Dr. Afe Mayowa, in a telephone interview, said the nature of the South-South environment provided a slim choice for alternative energy, especially for cooking.
According to him, unlike other regions in the country, the South-South does not have enough alternative energy sources like firewood.
He said kerosene provided a reliable option as “anywhere and anytime, it could be relied upon to generate energy.”
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest crude oil producer and largest holder of natural gas reserves on the continent, but the country still imports a very significant portion of petroleum products being consumed within the country, which is currently put at over 80 per cent.
The unwarranted dependence on these imports cuts across products like petrol, kerosene, diesel and the LPG.
The Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, an arm of the NNPC, was set up to market refined petroleum products in the domestic as well as export markets especially in West African sub-region, provide marine services and maintain uninterrupted movement of refined petroleum products from the local refineries.
According to figures obtained from the PPMC, an average daily consumption for petrol in Nigeria is 40 million litres; diesel, 12 million litres; kerosene, 11 million litres; and LPG, 1.2 million litres.
But Nigeria, according to the company, can only refine 5.10 million litres per day of PMS; three million litres per day of Automotive Gas Oil; 2.10 million litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene per day; and 0.34 million litres of LPG per day.
With the statistics, Nigeria, on the average, is said to be importing 34.90 million litres per day of PMS; 9 million litres per day of AGO; 8.90 million litres per day of DPK; and 0.86 million litres per day of LPG.
By implication, Nigeria is said to be importing 87.25 per cent of its PMS consumed per day; 75 per cent of its daily consumed AGO; 80.9 per cent of its DPK consumed per day; and 71.66 per cent of LPG used on a daily basis in the country.
Considering the local refining statistics of the PPMC, Nigeria is said to be refining just 12.75 per cent of its PMS consumed per day; 25 per cent of its daily consumed AGO; 19.1 per cent of its DPK consumed per day; and 28.34 per cent of LPG used on a daily basis in the country. Agency report
