ABSTRACT

The study analyzed the determinants of market access to LPG use among urban households in Abia State, Nigeria. The objectives is to: Measure the effect of income on market access of LPG, evaluate the impact of price to availability to market access of LPG, determine the influences of product availability of LPG and identify the preference pattern of selected cooking energy sources outside LPG. The study was done in the urban areas of Abia State. In this case, two urban areas of Aba and Umuahia were chosen, after which 120 households were selected from each these areas, making a total of 240 households. Objectives were analyzed using descriptive statistics and probit regression model. The results showed that income, price and availability were all significant in accessing the LPG products. Major constraints to access were cost of starting and explosion. It was also observed that kerosene was the major preferred cooking energy in urban area. The study recommends that price of LPG should be made affordable and product highly available. Also safety and public sensitization campaigns should be organized to educate the households on the use of LPG.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page i

Declaration ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Table of Content vi

List of Tables x

List of Figures xi

Abstract xii

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Statement of Problem 6

1.3 Objective of the Study 8

1.4 Research Question 9

1.5 Research Hypothesis 9

1.6 Significance of the Study 10

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Emergence of Nigeria’s Natural Gas Industry 11

2.2 The Exploration and Production of Natural Gas in Nigeria 14

2.3 Theoretical Framework 23

2.3.1 Gas Flaring and Environmental Pollution 25

2.4 Fuel Substitution and the Energy Ladder model 31

2.5 A critique of the Energy Ladder Model 38

2.6 The Energy Mix Model 43

2.7 Formal Presentation of the Energy Mix Model 50

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction 56

3.1 Research Design 56

3.2 Area of the Study 56

3.3 Population for the Study 57

3.4 Sample Size Determination 57

3.5 Sampling Technique and Method 58

3.6 Sources of Data 58

3.7 Validity and Reliability of Instruments 58

3.8 Data Analysis 59

3.9 Model Specification 59

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Respondents 62

4.1.1 Household size distribution of the Respondents 63

4.1.2 Educational attainment of household heads 64

4.1.3 Marital status  of the Respondents 65

4.1.4 Income distribution of the respondents 65

4.2 Problems Associated with the use of LPG 67

4.3 Preference pattern of selected cooking energy sources outside LPG 68

4.4 Determinants of Access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) among Household in Abia State 69

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary 72

5.2 Conclusion and Recommendation 73

References 75