FG launches the National Clean Cooking Policy

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the long- awaited National Clean Cooking Policy, which seeks to expand access to clean cooking energy solutions to all households and institutions in Nigeria by 2030.

Speaking at the Launch of the policy, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, pledged the federal government’s commitment to support domestication of the policy by implementing the key recommendations, said a statement by Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking (NACC)

 “We will embark on extensive awareness to communicate the co-benefits that cleaner cooking solutions brings and provide technical and business training so the capacity of local producers and distributors are built. Both fiscal and monetary incentives will also be provided to encourage local manufacturers of various clean cooking fuels and technologies in the country”, he said.

Speaking, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, reassured everyone that the ministry will carry out regional and state launching and distribution of the policy document as a way of raising adequate awareness.

“The policy will only be effective when states and local governments domesticate the goals of the policy and ensure effective implementation,” he said.

“On the part of the Federal Ministry of Environment, we will work hard to ensure that adequate budgetary provisions are made for the roll out of the policy”, he assured.

Also, the Director General, National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru assured that implementing the national policy on clean cooking will go a long way in meeting the national climate change goals.

“To support this, development partners have already set aside significant financial resources for the implementation of the national clean cooking goal,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking, Ewah Eleri commended FEC for approving the national policy, saying, it is a call to partnership between all levels of government,  private sector, civil society organisations and international development agencies to end cooking energy poverty, reduce the burden on women and lead in efforts to address climate change”.

He thanked all partners of the Alliance, especially the Clean Cooking Alliance and the Heinrich Boell Foundation for their support in developing this policy.