NATIONAL CLEAN COOKING POLICY

What Is This Policy?

The National Clean Cooking Policy is Nigeria's framework for transitioning households away from traditional wood fuel, charcoal, and kerosene toward cleaner cooking fuels and technologies such as LPG, biogas, improved biomass stoves, and electric cooking. Over 180 million Nigerians currently cook with polluting fuels, making this one of Nigeria's most significant public health and environmental challenges.

Who Does It Target?

The approximately 180 million Nigerians (90% of the population) who cook with wood fuel, charcoal, or kerosene Women and children in rural households who bear the heaviest health burden from cooking smoke LPG retailers, biogas developers, improved cookstove manufacturers, and clean cooking service providers State governments and LGAs responsible for rural energy access and public health

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Achieve 30% clean cooking access by 2025 and 80% by 2030, up from approximately 13 to 18% in 2022 Reduce household air pollution deaths, which kill an estimated 93,000 Nigerians annually (WHO 2022), primarily from cooking smoke Grow LPG consumption from approximately 1 kg per person per year to the ECOWAS target of at least 5 kg per person per year Reduce pressure on forests from charcoal and firewood by substituting clean fuels

Key Features

LPG Expansion Programme: Government subsidises LPG cylinder distribution, builds cylinder manufacturing capacity, and expands LPG retail access to underserved communities Cooking Fuel Subsidy Reform: Kerosene subsidy elimination redirected toward targeted clean cooking subsidies for low-income households Improved Cookstove Certification: SON certification of improved biomass stoves ensures they meet minimum efficiency and emission standards before distribution Pro-Poor Targeting: Results-based financing and subsidised starter kits for low-income households who cannot afford the upfront cost of LPG cylinders and stoves Biogas Development: Policy promotes household and community biogas systems as a clean cooking solution for peri-urban communities near agricultural waste sources Carbon Finance: Clean cooking projects qualify for verified carbon credits under the Gold Standard and VCS frameworks, providing revenue to subsidise costs

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active; Clean Cooking Alliance Nigeria Country Programme 2021 to 2025 in implementation Implementing Bodies: Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources; ECN; REA; NMDPRA; State Governments; Private LPG distributors Access Rate: Clean cooking access is approximately 13 to 18% (2022); majority using wood fuel (76%) and charcoal (12%) Health Burden: Household air pollution from cooking kills an estimated 93,000 Nigerians per year; women and children under five most affected Funding: FGN budget, World Bank Nigeria Clean Cooking Programme, Climate Investment Funds, private LPG sector investment

How to Access

Households: Register for subsidised LPG cylinder starter kits through state government distribution programmes; ask at your LGA office or local petroleum product depot LPG Retailers: Obtain a distribution licence from NMDPRA: nmdpra.gov.ng; access MDGIF wholesale financing for retail LPG infrastructure Clean Cooking Businesses: Register for the Clean Cooking Alliance Nigeria market development fund: cleancooking.org/nigeria Contact: ECN: ecn.gov.ng | NMDPRA: nmdpra.gov.ng | Clean Cooking Alliance Nigeria: cleancooking.org/nigeria

Impact & Metrics

Household air pollution from cooking kills approximately 93,000 Nigerians per year; equivalent to one death every six minutes LPG consumption grew by 45% between 2019 and 2023, with government cylinder distribution programmes being the primary driver

Official Resources

Website: ecn.gov.ng | nmdpra.gov.ng | cleancooking.org/nigeria Contact: Energy Commission of Nigeria, Plot 701C, Central Business District, Abuja Policy Summary | Source: FMP, ECN, SE4All Africa Hub, Clean Cooking Alliance, WHO Nigeria Air Pollution Report, World LPG Association Nigeria | February 2026

Legal Framework

The National Clean Cooking Policy operates under the Energy Commission of Nigeria Act, the Electricity Act 2023, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act 2007. It aligns with the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP), Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC), and the WHO and World Bank guidelines on clean cooking for air quality improvement and health impact reduction.