The federal government has launched a national initiative to integrate electric cooking (e-cooking) into Nigeria’s Clean Cooking Policy Implementation Plan, as part of broader efforts to expand access to clean energy, reduce emissions and mobilise climate finance for sustainable cooking solutions.
The initiative was unveiled Thursday at the inception workshop themed “Integrating E-Cooking in Nigeria’s Clean Cooking Policy Implementation Plan and Funding Proposals to Implement E-Cooking,” convened by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with development partners.
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In a keynote address by Salihu Usman, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, who was represented by Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director, Department of Climate Change, the ministry said the project marks a significant step towards addressing energy poverty, climate change, environmental degradation and the health risks associated with the widespread use of firewood, charcoal and other traditional cooking fuels.
“This workshop comes at a critical moment in Nigeria’s development journey as we seek practical, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to address energy poverty, climate change, public health challenges, and environmental degradation,” the ministry said.
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It added that the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to accelerating the transition to “clean, modern, and affordable cooking solutions for all Nigerians.”
Expanding clean cooking options
The ministry noted that although millions of Nigerians still rely on biomass fuels for cooking, the country has begun laying the policy foundation for cleaner alternatives.
It recalled that the National Clean Cooking Policy, launched in 2024, provides a framework for expanding access to safe, affordable and sustainable cooking technologies through improved investment, innovation and institutional coordination.
According to the ministry, the next phase is to incorporate electric cooking into the policy’s implementation.
“E-Cooking, which utilises electricity from grid-connected, mini-grid, solar and other renewable energy systems for cooking, offers substantial environmental, economic and social benefits,” it said.
The ministry added that advances in renewable energy technologies, mini-grids and energy-efficient appliances have made electric cooking increasingly viable for households, institutions and businesses.
It said wider adoption would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor air quality, ease pressure on forests and improve household energy efficiency.
Supporting climate commitments
The government said integrating e-cooking aligns with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, which targets net-zero emissions by 2060 while expanding access to electricity.
It also said the initiative would help implement Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement by reducing emissions in the residential energy sector.
In addition, the ministry said electric cooking would support the National Adaptation Plan by reducing dependence on unsustainable biomass harvesting, strengthening ecosystem resilience and improving livelihoods, particularly among women and rural communities.
Mobilising investment
The ministry acknowledged that scaling up electric cooking would require significant investment to overcome barriers such as affordability, inadequate infrastructure, limited consumer awareness and weak market development.
It said the project would therefore focus on developing evidence-based strategies and bankable funding proposals capable of attracting financing from public institutions, private investors, development finance institutions, carbon markets and international climate funds.
“The development of bankable funding proposals will enable us to mobilise resources… to support the large-scale deployment of e-Cooking solutions across Nigeria,” the ministry said.
It also pledged continued support for complementary initiatives, including climate finance mobilisation, renewable energy deployment, ecosystem restoration and gender-responsive climate action.
Local manufacturing, green jobs
Mrs Abiola-Awe said developing domestic value chains for electric cooking appliances would stimulate local manufacturing, create green jobs, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen Nigeria’s clean energy economy.
She stressed that partnerships with the private sector, financial institutions and development partners would be essential to expanding the market while ensuring vulnerable communities are not left behind.
The official also called for greater attention to women, young people and children, who bear the greatest health and economic burden of traditional cooking practices.
Existing interventions
In her remarks, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Focal Point for Nigeria, Asma’u Jibril, said integrating electric cooking into the national clean cooking framework represents a strategic opportunity to diversify the country’s clean energy options.
She said the initiative complements ongoing government efforts to deploy renewable energy, mobilise climate finance, restore degraded ecosystems and promote green industrial development.
Mrs Jibril disclosed that under the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, the government has distributed 3,400 clean cookstoves in each participating state, including Yobe, Ogun, Oyo, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Borno and Ebonyi, while distribution in the Federal Capital Territory and Kano is being finalised.
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She said the workshop would prioritise developing practical financing models to support the nationwide deployment of electric cooking technologies.
“Sustainable financing remains one of the critical barriers to widespread adoption of clean cooking technologies,” she said.
She urged participants to develop practical recommendations on affordability, infrastructure, local manufacturing, consumer awareness and quality standards to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking technologies across Nigeria.
The workshop brought together government agencies, development partners, researchers, civil society organisations and private-sector stakeholders to develop a roadmap for integrating electric cooking into Nigeria’s clean cooking policy and for mobilising resources for large-scale implementation.
