Influence Of Socio-Economic Factors In The Use Of Biomass Fuels In Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

Biomass fuels are used by a large proportion of households in most developing countries, including Nigeria, because they are readily available or relatively inexpensive. The purpose of this study was to determine how socioeconomic factors influence the use of biomass cooking fuels in Nigeria's Enugu State. The survey was cross-sectional, and multistage sampling was used. The samples included 502 respondents from 232 households in 6 of Enugu State's 17 Local Government Areas. The sample size was calculated using Fisher's formula. A structured questionnaire was distributed to the respondents, and observations were made. To arrive at results, data was collected and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. According to the study, 94% of respondents use biomass fuels, with 73% using unprocessed wood. Only 6% of them use fossil fuels. Ninety-one percent (91%) of households earn less than N61,000 per month on average, with only about 1% earning more than N90,000 per month. It was also discovered that 88% of respondents had no more than a secondary school education, and 75% lived in rural areas. This study found a high level of poverty and a low level of education among the study population in Enugu State, which translates to a high use of biomass fuels, particularly unprocessed wood (firewood). The study's findings confirm that socioeconomic factors such as household income level, educational status, and so on influence greater use of biomass fuels when they are readily available and at little or no cost to the people.