In kitchens across Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, there is a familiar sigh: the flame under the pot flickers, because gas is either prohibitively expensive or nowhere to be found.
With cylinder shortages and soaring LPG prices, families are being pushed to improvise — or suffer. But necessity breeds innovation.
As gas slips beyond reach, many Nigerians are asking: What can replace gas without replacing financial sanity, health, or dignity?
This article explores five actionable alternatives that households can pivot to — options that are already in the market or being promoted—and how they stack up in cost, safety, convenience, and sustainability.
If the gas crisis lingers, these alternatives could mean the difference between dinner made and dinner missed.
Here are five alternatives to LPG cooking gas, each with pros, cons, and what it takes to adopt:
1. Improved Clean Wood or Biomass Cookstoves
These are stoves designed to use wood, charcoal, or crop residues more efficiently, burning hotter, cleaner, with less fuel and less smoke.
One example is the improved cookstove initiative distributing efficient fuel-wood stoves to low-income households.
Why it helps:
* Uses fuel sources already used in many households.
* Increases fuel efficiency dramatically — saving up to 50-80% of firewood or charcoal used.
* Less smoke means better health outcomes (fewer respiratory risks).
The Problems
* Requires acquisition of the stove (though many programs distribute for free or subsidised).
* Collecting wood or charcoal still labour-intensive.
* Still emits particulates (though much less if design is good).
2. Solar Induction or Solar-powered Electric Cookers
Cookers that run off solar power (with battery backup), or induction cooktops powered by electricity (grid or generator), sometimes bundled with solar panels. Examples: a solar induction cooker available locally for ₦59,500.
Also, the “Double Induction Burner Solar 10Hrs Cooker” kits being sold elsewhere in Africa.
Why it helps:
* Clean: no fuel, almost no smoke.
* Can be more cost-effective over time depending on electricity/solar costs.
* Fast cooking, precise temperature control.
The Problems
* Higher upfront cost (panels, batteries, inverter).
* Maintenance of batteries.
* Electricity reliability or cloud cover can limit effectiveness.
3. Electric Induction Hot Plates or Portable Induction Cookers
Single or dual-burner induction hot plates / portable cookers. These use electromagnetism with compatible cookware. Examples in Lagos market: infrared induction stoves and Sontec induction cookers (₦27,500+).
Why it helps:
* Uses electricity rather than gas: cheaper if electricity is stable and affordable or if generator/inverter costs are low.
* Faster heating, efficient energy use, less wasted heat.
* Less smoke / indoor pollution.
The Problems
* Needs compatible pots/pans (magnetic base).
* Electric costs can skyrocket, especially with inefficient power supply or generator dependencies.
* Risk of damage or safety issues if voltage fluctuates.
4. NASENI Powerstove (Biomass Pellets Stove)
The Nigerian government / NASENI developed a “Powerstove” that uses clean biomass / wood pellets. It is smokeless, cost-saving (users reportedly can save up to ~40% fuel expenses) and reduces indoor air pollution.
Why it helps:
* Biomass pellets are more compact and efficient than loose wood or charcoal.
* Lower smoke, higher heat output, faster cooking.
* Potential for local production of pellets (job creation, local business).
The Problems
* Availability of pellets may be limited or inconsistent.
* Stove needs to be purchased; pellet production must be scaled.
* Requires consistent supply of pellets; cost over time depends on pellet price and stove efficiency.
5. Clean Cook Stove Projects & Subsidised Solutions
Programs that distribute subsidized clean cook stoves, provide education, or introduce “improved fuel wood technology.” For example, the UNILAG-led clean cook stove project, and the GreenPlinth Africa initiative aiming to deploy millions of efficient stoves.
Why it helps:
* Reduced cost burden because government/NGO subsidize purchase.
* Training and awareness help users maximize efficiency.
* Health and environmental benefits.
Drawbacks:
* Coverage may be patchy (rural vs urban).
* Quality control and after-sales service can vary.
* Some households may not trust or prefer traditional methods; demand habituation and behavioural change.
Less Gas, More Options
The gas crisis is painful, but not hopeless. These alternatives show that with innovation, policy support, and smart choices, Nigerian households can get through the crisis without losing dignity, health, or safety.
Also Read: Gas Scarcity: 5 Deadly Impacts on Nigerian Households You Can’t Ignore
But for real change, this can’t be just individual coping. Government incentives, subsidy re-direction, support for local clean cooking industries, awareness campaigns — they must come together.
When households have access to affordable alternatives, not as stopgaps but as viable choices, only then does the flame flicker but never die.
