It is convenient. You are driving home, you see a man with cylinders by the roadside, you stop, you refill, and you drive off. No queue. No stress. But here is what you might not know: that convenience could cost you your kitchen, your home, or worse.
I have been in the LPG business long enough to know that not every cylinder on the roadside is safe. As the founder of OGas, a platform that vets and verifies gas sellers before listing them, I have seen things that would make you think twice.
The Cylinder Might Be a Time Bomb
Roadside sellers often buy used cylinders from scrap yards, paint them, and resell them. These cylinders may have hairline cracks, rusted valves, or expired certification dates. A standard LPG cylinder in Nigeria should be tested and certified every five years. When was the last time that roadside seller checked the birth date stamped on the cylinder they just sold you?
You Cannot Verify the Weight
A proper filling station uses calibrated scales. Roadside sellers use guesswork. You think you bought 12.5kg. You might have received 10kg. You are being cheated, and you do not even know it.
No Recourse If Something Goes Wrong
If a verified filling station sells you bad gas or a faulty cylinder, you can go back. You know where they are. You might even know the owner. If a roadside seller sells you a leaking cylinder and you drive home to discover it, that seller is gone tomorrow. No address. No name. No accountability.
What Should You Do Instead?
Buy from sellers who have a fixed address, a known reputation, and proper equipment. If you are in Delta State, there are verified sellers who have been in business for years and understand safety. If you do not know who to trust, use a platform that has already done the vetting for you.
Cooking gas is a safe, clean fuel — but only when handled properly. Do not let convenience turn into tragedy.