Nigeria, March 31 -- Cooking gas business is no longer a small roadside trade in Nigeria. Over the past few years, more families have moved away from kerosene and firewood to LPG because it is cleaner, faster, and safer when handled properly. This growing demand has made gas refilling one of the most attractive small and medium-scale businesses today.

But many people rush into the business thinking it only requires buying cylinders and selling gas. In the crowded neighbourhoods across Kwara State, the sharp hiss of escaping gas and the metallic scrape of cylinders against concrete have become part of the daily soundtrack. Beneath that routine exchange, however, lies a quiet tension; one that residents say has been building as refill shop...