By Oluwakemi Kindness
Rrport say about 120,000 Nigerians die annually from cooking smoke, as rising cooking gas prices force households to return to firewood.
This is according to Ewah Otu Eleri, Executive Director of the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development.
Eleri gave the warning at the 2026 Nigeria Clean Cooking Forum, where he said cooking gas prices had more than doubled in the past two years.
He attributed the increase partly to the removal of fuel subsidies and disruptions in the global market, which have made clean cooking less affordable for many households.
Eleri called for financing through carbon markets to help expand access to clean cooking solutions and reduce dependence on firewood.
In a keynote address delivered on his behalf, Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal urged financial institutions to invest in clean cooking.
Dr Nio Bong Abuela Ali, Director of the Department of Climate Change, delivered the minister’s address at the forum.
Lawal said investment in clean cooking would support Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and its target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
He also highlighted the importance of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 in advancing the country’s climate commitments.
Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, also stressed the need for stronger collaboration and investment in clean cooking.
Engineer John Ogah, Deputy Director of the commission’s Energy Utilisation Department, represented Abdullahi at the forum.
Stakeholders from the ECOWAS, GIZ, and others at the event called for greater access to clean cooking solutions, citing their importance to public health, household welfare, women and climate protection.
Edited by Julian Osamoto
