Africa's clean cooking move: a game-changer for health and environment

Dar es Salaam. A new chapter unfolded in the recent Africa energy summit as nations committed to address deadly challenges caused by the use of dirty sources of energy.

In Africa, the daily act of cooking for millions of families has been a silent killer, claiming the lives of roughly 600,000 women and children every year.

The deaths are from the invisible dangers of open fire cooking. As families gather around smoky stoves fueled by charcoal or wood, they unknowingly breathe in deadly toxins that lead to respiratory diseases, heart problems, and even cancer.

In addition to the health crisis, the method of cooking accelerates deforestation, contributing to climate change and economic instability.

However, the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, held in Tanzania last month, 12 African nations committed to addressing these deadly issues with bold and innovative solutions.

The countries involved in the initiative are setting the stage to tackle one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: access to clean cooking energy.

This moment is a turning point, one that could save hundreds of thousands of lives and transform the way millions cook their meals.

The summit, supported by global institutions such as the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and other development partners, saw countries pledge to accelerate access to electricity and clean cooking solutions. The goal is to provide clean cooking options to millions of Africans who rely on dangerous, polluting fuels.

During the summit, Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan said; “I understand that the 12 governments have only pioneered, and many others will join us in the future.”

President Hassan has been instrumental in the effort, making clean cooking a top priority for Tanzania. The country’s efforts include a detailed National Clean Cooking Strategy, which aims to transition 80 percent of the population to clean cooking technologies by 2034.

The executive director of the African Energy Commission, Mr Rashid Abdallah, said the challenges of transitioning to cleaner cooking methods are immense, but innovative solutions are already being rolled out.

“While 600 million Africans live without access to electricity, nearly double that number—around one billion people—lack access to clean cooking solutions. These people rely on traditional fuels like wood, charcoal, and kerosene, all of which have severe environmental, health, and economic consequences,” he said.

The economic toll of the problem is estimated to cost of $790 billion annually for the continent. The burden is felt most acutely by women, who are primarily responsible for cooking.

At the summit, special envoy to President of Tanzania, Dr Richard Muyungi, emphasised the need for comprehensive, coordinated strategies.

He praised Tanzania's approach, which includes high-level political will, stakeholder engagement, and private sector involvement.

“The government is not only investing in clean cooking technology but also involving private companies, fostering a culture of innovation that can drive change across the continent,” he said.

Burn Manufacturing, led by CEO Peter Scott, is one company making strides in clean cooking. As Africa’s largest clean cooking stove manufacturer, Burn is developing fuel-efficient stoves that drastically reduce the amount of smoke and harmful emissions produced during cooking.

“Now, there’s a lot of money standing by to approve carbon credit regulations to allow carbon trading, carbon finance, to grow,” he said.

CEO of M-Gas, Mr Martin Kimani, said he has developed an innovative approach to clean cooking through liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

M-Gas’s pay-as-you-cook model has already enabled half a million households in Kenya and Tanzania to switch to cleaner cooking by offering gas cylinders with no upfront costs, using IoT-enabled smart meters.

“For just 35 cents, a family can cook three meals in a day, which is both affordable and safe compared to traditional methods,” he said.

During the summit, the winners of Tanzania’s National Clean Cooking Innovation Challenge were announced, recognising solutions in clean cooking technology.

One of the winners had developed a biogas production plant, while another created a system for delivering LPG through a click-and-deliver service.

The global community is also backing this effort. Countries like Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France have pledged additional contributions to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.

The financial support will help unlock billions of dollars in private sector investments, which are critical to achieving the Mission 300 goal providing 300 million Africans with access to electricity by 2030.