Lesotho, April 8 -- Last week's hike in petroleum and gas prices has left many people in Lesotho wondering how they will cope. Even though the government provides subsidies on petroleum, citizens are still concerned about electricity costs. Will electricity prices rise as gas prices increase? How will households survive the upcoming cold season when less than 35% of the population has access to electricity, and only 37.6% can use clean cooking facilities?

Entrepreneurs also face challenges that ripple across the economy. Service providers, shop owners, and transport operators all feel the impact of rising energy costs on their businesses.

In recent decades, natural gas has grown in importance for power generation. It is flexible, more ...