Over 70% of rural households in Nigeria still rely on firewood as their primary cooking fuel, exposing women and children to severe health hazards.
This is according to Pius Oko, Country Project Lead, the Africa Coalition for Sustainable Energy & Access (ACSEA), while speaking at the National Consultative Dialogue on Nigeria’s Energy Transition and Renewable Energy Commitments on Friday.
The ACSEA is an alliance of CSOs, private sector, academia, and research institutions advocating for renewable energy and energy access in Africa.
This heavy dependence on biomass contributes to respiratory diseases, deforestation, and environmental degradation, posing a significant challenge to Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
“Over 70% of rural households rely on firewood for cooking, exposing women and children to serious health risks. Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021 provides a legal framework for building climate resilience, carbon budgeting, and transitioning to a low-carbon economy,” Oko said.
Nigeria’s Climate Change Act and Energy Transition Plan
Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021 provides a legal framework for building climate resilience, carbon budgeting, and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. However, stakeholders argue that implementation gaps and conflicting policies undermine these objectives.
“Despite commendable efforts, Nigeria still battles significant gaps in policy implementation, awareness, and contradictions in policy that undermine these goals,” said Oko.
He emphasized the need for increased investment in clean cooking solutions such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogas, and electric cooking to reduce reliance on firewood. According to him, failure to address the issue could derail Nigeria’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions and Sustainable Development Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy).
The inhalation of smoke from firewood leads to chronic respiratory infections, lung diseases, and eye irritation.
Environmental and health implications
According to the American Lung Association, wood-burning stoves produce toxins that are damaging to your lungs and can increase the risk of lung disease, heart disease, and even cancer.
- In addition to health risks, the widespread use of firewood accelerates deforestation, leading to loss of biodiversity and exacerbating climate change.
- To combat this, experts at the dialogue urged the Nigerian government to enforce existing policies, promote renewable energy sources, and subsidize clean cooking alternatives for low-income households. They also called for increased private sector participation and public awareness campaigns to drive adoption.
- While Nigeria has made strides in expanding LPG usage, affordability remains a major barrier for many rural households. Energy experts suggest that targeted subsidies and incentives for clean cooking technologies could accelerate the transition away from firewood and traditional biomass.
The ACSEA and other environmental advocates are pushing for a nationwide clean cooking strategy to align with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. With coordinated efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society, Nigeria can significantly reduce firewood dependency, improve public health, and achieve its clean energy transition goals.
