The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has revealed that the effective implementation of the National Clean Cooking Policy of Nigeria is expected to create around 10 million direct jobs for young people.
However, he also highlighted a concerning statistic that only one in ten households in the country currently use clean energy sources and technologies for cooking.
In a press release issued in Abuja on Saturday, and signed by the Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit, Ibrahim Haruna, the minister expressed concern over Nigeria’s “silent energy crisis.” He stated,
“Traditional cooking with firewood and other polluting fuels, such as kerosene and charcoal, is claiming lives, causing deforestation, and contributing to climate change, while also placing a burden on women. Clean cooking solutions will save lives, empower women and youths, improve livelihoods, and combat climate change.”
The press release also recalled that on 27 May 2022, the ministry inaugurated a National Clean Cooking Committee, a critical step in building the framework for expanding clean cooking energy access in Nigeria. This committee developed the draft National Clean Cooking Policy, which was validated to achieve access to clean cooking energy solutions for households and institutions by 2030.
On 25 March 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved the National Clean Cooking Policy of Nigeria. The policy’s goals include mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, improving health, creating jobs, enhancing livelihoods, protecting the environment, preventing deforestation, and helping families, institutions, and businesses save time and money.
In line with the Energy Transition Plan, the policy aims for 20% of the total clean cooking target to come from electric cooking, comprising both grid and off-grid sources, and 54% from Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The share of fuel-efficient biomass cookstoves will rise to 13% before its expected decline in a post-2030 clean cooking scenario. Other components of the 2030 target include 3% for biogas, representing ethanol, biodiesel, and methanol, and 5% representing briquettes from mostly agricultural waste.
The policy aligns with several key national frameworks, including the clean cooking targets in the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of 2021, the National Climate Change Policy of Nigeria (2021-2030), the Climate Change Act of 2021, and the National Gas Policy of 2017.
Balarabe Lawal also noted that the policy was unveiled at the 17th session of the National Council on Environment on 24 April 2024 and was subsequently launched during the National Clean Cooking Fair on 18 July 2024 in Abuja.
The implementation will involve collaboration with local clean cookstove manufacturers to scale up production using local raw materials and to train youths in production skills.
However, the minister emphasized that the implementation of this policy will create about 10 million direct jobs for young people, from the assembly of local raw materials to the production and distribution of clean cookstoves.
Furthermore, the development of a national carbon market framework is in progress, which will facilitate carbon credit earnings.
The ministry is also engaging development partners, such as the World Bank, for support and partnership in achieving these targets, which align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.