ASHENEWS reports that the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, says that only ten per cent of households in Nigeria use clean energy sources for cooking.
The minister stated this in a statement issued by the Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit at the ministry, Ibrahim Haruna, on Saturday in Abuja.
According to him, this situation highlights a critical clean energy challenge facing the nation.
He noted that the usage of traditional cooking methods, which rely on firewood, kerosene, and charcoal further contributes to the rise in deforestation, climate change, and health issues,
This is aside from placing significant burdens on women.
To address this, the minister said that the federal government will push for the implementation of the National Clean Cooking Policy.
The policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2024, aims to address these challenges by promoting clean cooking solutions that will save lives, empower women and youth, improve livelihoods, and combat climate change.
He added that the policy also aligns with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
With its implementation, he added that the policy will create approximately 10 million direct jobs for young people in areas such as the assembly of local raw materials and, the production, and distribution of clean cookstoves.
