A recent report reveals that over 70% of rural households in Nigeria continue to rely on firewood as their primary cooking fuel, exposing women and children to severe health risks.
Pius Oko, Country Project Lead for the Africa Coalition for Sustainable Energy & Access (ACSEA), shared these findings during the National Consultative Dialogue on Nigeria’s Energy Transition and Renewable Energy Commitments on Friday. ACSEA, a coalition of civil society organizations, the private sector, and research institutions, advocates for renewable energy and energy access across Africa.
Oko highlighted the dangerous effects of this dependence on firewood, which contributes to respiratory diseases, eye irritation, and deforestation, all of which hinder Nigeria’s clean energy transition. He also pointed out that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021 aims to build climate resilience and transition to a low-carbon economy but faces significant challenges in implementation due to policy gaps and contradictions.
To reduce firewood dependence, Oko emphasised the need for increased investment in clean cooking alternatives like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogas, and electric cooking. He added that addressing these issues is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, which focuses on affordable and clean energy.
In addition to health risks, the environmental impact of firewood use, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity, accelerates climate change. Experts at the dialogue urged the government to enforce existing policies, promote renewable energy, and subsidize clean cooking alternatives for low-income households.
While Nigeria has made progress in expanding LPG use, affordability remains a major barrier for rural households. Experts suggest that targeted subsidies and incentives for clean cooking technologies could help transition away from firewood. ACSEA and environmental advocates are pushing for a nationwide clean cooking strategy to align with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
