2022 International Womens Day (PRESS RELEASE)

2022 International Womens Day (PRESS RELEASE)

COOKING SHOULDN’T KILL: LET US PRESS FOR GENDER EQUALITY TODAY FOR A SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW International Women’s Day, usually celebrated on March 8, is a day when we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women all over the world. The theme for 2022 International Women’s Day is “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” – a push for gender equality worldwide for a sustainable future. The Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking joins with many to press for progress in gender equality especially when it comes to the unpaid work and task associated with cooking. Nigeria suffers a “silent” energy crisis – poor access to clean cooking energy. Over 20 million households and about 120 million Nigerians depend on wood primarily as a source of fuel for cooking. It is recognized that women disproportionately make up this number. This is despite the abundance of modern cooking energy sources including natural gas.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that cooking in an open fire releases harmful toxic (especially particulate matter and carbon monoxide), which causes about 95,000 deaths annually in Nigeria. After malaria and HIV/AIDS, this is Nigeria’s third highest killer of mostly women and children. Cooking in an open fire in your kitchen is also likened to burning 400 cigarettes an hour. Cooking inefficiently using the traditional method (open fire), causes pneumonia in children, low birth weight babies, still birth, lung diseases etc. Moreover, it is expensive, burning up to 90% more wood than is necessary and costing poor families money that could be put to better use on education, health and nutrition. The use of efficient and...
Stakeholders reject government’s free stoves

Stakeholders reject government’s free stoves

There is a growing national momentum to tackle problems associated with cooking energy in Nigeria. Recently, over one hundred stakeholders representing energy companies, policy makers, donor agencies and NGOs gathered in Abuja to deliberate over rising challenges of cooking energy. This is coming on the heels of the Federal Government’s award of a contract of N9.6 billion for the supply of clean cookstoves, NNPC’s launch of the “kerosene correct” campaign as well as a new presidential initiative on cooking gas soon to be launched. In his welcome address, Ewah Eleri, the Executive Director of the International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED) and the Coordinator of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves claimed that Nigeria is facing a silent energy crisis. “Twenty five million households cook with wood in traditional open fire. Smoke from the kitchen kills over 100,000 women and children every year. It leads to deforestation and costs poor families money and time that could be used for food, education and health care. The time to act is now!”, he said. He thanked the Federal Government, the Nigeria LPG Association and the organised private sector for rising to the challenge. The Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam restated her ministry’s commitment to work with the organised private sector to ensure an effective implementation of the N9.6 Billion clean cookstoves project. The Minister used the opportunity of the conference and expo to meet with partners of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. She emphasised the need to ensure that Nigerian producers of clean cookstoves and fuels participate in the project. In his presentation, Robert van der Plas,...
Clean Cooking Energy for All – Expo & Conference 2015

Clean Cooking Energy for All – Expo & Conference 2015

The Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves organizes Clean Cooking Energy for All Expo & Conference 2015, January 26-27, 2015 at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja! This Expo & Conference will bring together policy makers, suppliers, retailers and consumers of the clean cooking energy value chain to support the development of an enabling environment for expanding the market for clean cookstoves and cleaner fuels; strengthen the supply chain as well as create demand for clean cooking energy solutions and display the diversity in the product range available in the Nigerian...