Nigerians look to biofuel as cost of cooking gas soars

  • last year

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Transcript
00:00 It doesn't look like much, but it's been a game-changer for Shola Adeyemi.
00:04 Bioethanol is made from organic materials, and it's cheaper than regular cooking gas.
00:09 "I gave it a try. It was so nice. It cooks fast. I use it in cooking beans.
00:16 For you to know, when people say beans, it takes time. I use it in cooking beans."
00:20 The cost of living has skyrocketed in Nigeria since President Bolo Ahmed
00:25 Tenobu ended a fuel subsidy in May. A kilogram of gas now costs around 1,000 naira,
00:30 or around $1.25, while a liter of biofuel costs just over a dollar, and it lasts for longer.
00:37 Last month, year-on-year customer inflation rose to around 27 percent,
00:42 the highest in about 18 years. As well as being cheaper than regular cooking gas,
00:47 biofuel gel releases far less harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
00:51 According to the U.N., carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by over 4 million tons in Nigeria
00:57 if all households use bioethanol for cooking.
00:59 "We have a lot of non-communicable respiratory, cardiovascular diseases right now,
01:06 which is traceable to air pollution. So we call it household air pollution.
01:13 So switching to a fuel like biofuel, which is renewable, is going to help us reduce the
01:20 casualties on these health issues, at the same time protecting our environment from carbon emission."
01:28 More than 93,000 women die in Nigeria each year
01:32 from diseases caused by domestic air pollution, according to the World Health Organization.

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