Households Fuel Consumption Preferences: Empirical Evidence From Jos-North, Nigeria

In developing countries, more than 2.5 billion people depend on fossil and biomass fuels as their main source of household fuel for cooking, heating, and lighting. This study therefore evaluates factors affecting fuel consumption preferences among rural households in Jos-North, Plateau State, Nigeria. The research utilized various sampling methods. Information was gathered from 113 participants and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Weighted Average Index (WAI). The results revealed that the most common fuel variants in the area were charcoal (92%), fuel wood (82%) and kerosene (71%). Also, mean monthly income and fuel consumption expenditure per household was ₦36,850 and ₦7,150, respectively. Further, the factors affecting households’ fuel consumption preferences are significant and as such affected consumption preferences among respondents in the area; as indicated by factors including fuel cost (2.46), fuel efficiency (2.33), fuel availability (2.31), fuel safety (2.27) and fuel emission (2.19). This study therefore recommends adoption of policies that regulates and subsidizes prices of fuel variants; development of efficient and environmentally compatible fuel alternatives or substitutes; that maximizes households’ needs, mitigates environmental degradation and high carbon emissions. In addition, policies that will ensure adequate supply and availability of fuel variants, mitigate consumption constraints, as well as facilitate equity in income redistribution among low-income households are also suggested.