There was a time in Ghana’s history when kerosene was unavoidable and a regular and essential part of household needs.
Before electricity became prevalent, it lit up bedrooms during the night. Even after the spread of electricity, it was the go-to fuel during power cuts. Also in domestic affairs, it warmed leftover soup on shaky metal stoves, and fuelled the familiar blue flame that flickered through countless Ghanaian evenings.
What cannot be forgotten is its pungent smell that clung to kitchens, lanterns, and sometimes clothes. For many households, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, kerosene was not a choice; it was a necessity.
However, despite being an integral part of life, it can be said to be gradually going extinct.
Today’s Consumption
Today, that once-essential fuel is slowly slipping into history. According to the CBOD 2024 Petroleum Sector Report cited by The High Street Journal, kerosene consumption in Ghana has fallen by 31 percent in 2024, dropping to just 1,777 metric tonnes from the previous year.
The decline is more jaw-dropping when considered from 2012. The decline is not sudden; it has been steady, relentless, and telling.
In 2012, Ghana consumed about 46,000 metric tonnes of kerosene. By 2013, usage had fallen to 28,000 tonnes. Then came a sharp collapse to just 9,000 tonnes in 2014. Since then, consumption has hovered in low single digits, shrinking further to 2,000 tonnes by 2024. In a whole, the usage has diminished by a whopping 96%.
In practical terms, kerosene has gone from a household staple to a marginal fuel.
Why the Sharp Decline
CBOD points to several reasons behind this quiet extinction. First was policy. In 2013, kerosene lost its subsidised status when the government rolled out the Fuel Marking Programme to curb its misuse as an adulterant for petrol and diesel. Once prices rose and controls tightened, kerosene immediately became less attractive.
Then came the LPG promotion push. Government policy deliberately encouraged households to switch from kerosene and firewood to liquefied petroleum gas, which is cleaner, safer, and more efficient. As LPG cylinders spread from urban centres into peri-urban and rural communities, kerosene stoves were gradually pushed aside.
CBOD further adds that urbanisation also played its part. As more Ghanaians moved into towns and cities, access to electricity, LPG refilling points, and modern cooking options expanded. Lanterns gave way to rechargeable lamps and LEDs. The kerosene stove slowly lost its place on the kitchen floor.
The Bottomline
The drastic reduction in fuel reflects changing lifestyles, deliberate policy choices, and a broader transition to cleaner energy.
Yet its disappearance carries nostalgic weight. For older generations, kerosene is tied to childhood memories such as studying by lantern light, carefully pouring fuel from recycled bottles, and shielding flames from the wind. It was messy, smoky, and sometimes dangerous, but it was reliable.
However, now the consumption sinks to near-irrelevance, kerosene joins the list of fuels that once powered everyday life but no longer fit modern needs.
