(Household Kerosene. Photo by X.com)
The retail price of household kerosene climbed sharply across Nigeria in April 2026, with residents in Sokoto, Lagos, and Kebbi paying close to N4,000 per litre, according to fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
Kerosene was once the dominant cooking fuel in Nigerian homes, but its use has declined significantly over the years as many households transitioned to Liquefied Petroleum Gas around 2015, when kerosene was still relatively affordable at between N50 and N100 per litre.
The removal of the kerosene subsidy in 2016, compounded by the naira devaluation under the current administration, set off a sustained run of price increases that has placed the product well beyond the reach of many of the low-income households that once depended on it for cooking and lighting.
Today, many Nigerians have turned to cooking gas or charcoal as alternatives.
According to the NBS Household Kerosene Price Watch for April 2026, Sokoto recorded the steepest average retail price at N3,965.10 per litre, followed by Kebbi at N3,808.75 and Lagos at N3,790.90.
Other states on the higher end of the scale include Katsina at N3,743.09, Edo at N3,639.16, Niger at N3,572.57, Plateau at N3,425.20, and Zamfara at N3,386.09.
At the opposite end, Bayelsa recorded the lowest average price at N1,815.40 per litre, followed by Kogi at N1,982.02 and Yobe at N2,235.77. Kano and Anambra also came in on the lower end at N2,385.53 and N2,398.53 respectively.
Regionally, the North-West posted the highest average prices in the country, with Sokoto, Kebbi, and Katsina leading the chart.
The data also captured notable month-on-month price jumps between March and April 2026. Kaduna saw the sharpest single-month rise at 35.16 percent, followed by Bayelsa at 34.82 percent, Katsina at 34.27 percent, Imo at 34.11 percent, and Akwa Ibom at 33.62 percent.
Kwara rose by 32.25 percent and Plateau by 30.80 percent, while Kogi recorded no change and Borno saw one of the smallest increases at just 1.59 percent.
On a year-on-year basis, the increases were even more striking. Bauchi recorded the highest annual price growth at 108.53 percent meaning the average retail price more than doubled compared to April 2025.
Lagos followed with an 84.49 percent rise, while Nasarawa recorded 76.12 percent, Katsina 71.17 percent, and Plateau 65.97 percent.
Sokoto and Niger posted year-on-year increases of 59.76 percent and 44.99 percent respectively. Only Yobe and Enugu recorded annual price declines, falling by 4.86 percent and 1.80 percent respectively.
At the zonal level, the North-Central recorded an average retail price of N2,849.97 per litre in April 2026, reflecting a 19.87 percent month-on-month increase and a 32.18 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
The South-West also saw significant increases, largely on account of Lagos, while the South-South showed a mixed picture despite being home to several oil-producing states.
Gallon prices also rose considerably. The North-Central average gallon price climbed to N12,824.88 in April from N10,698.89 in March, while Abuja recorded N12,202.24 per gallon.
Niger and Plateau came in at N16,076.55 and N15,413.39 respectively, and Sokoto residents paid over N17,000 per gallon on average among the highest in the country.
The continued rise in kerosene prices is expected to deepen hardship for low-income households, many of which still depend on the product for basic cooking and lighting needs, especially amid soaring electricity tariffs and high cooking gas prices.
With cooking gas also selling for around N2,000 per litre in some areas, a growing number of families may be forced to fall back on firewood or charcoal.
The situation reflects the broader inflationary pressures that continue to push up the cost of essential commodities and household energy products across Nigeria.
