Africa’s Clean Cooking Drive Hits Roadblock

Africa’s push for clean cooking is facing significant obstacles, including LPG supply constraints, logistical hurdles, and limited climate funding, experts warned at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum.

According to a report from Oriental News, the continent’s clean cooking ambitions are being hindered by several key challenges, including South Africa’s supply tightness and refinery outages, Nigeria’s inadequate LPG infrastructure, decreased local production, and high costs due to poor logistics.

To overcome these hurdles, experts are calling for urgent action, including restarting refineries, upgrading infrastructure, and simplifying permitting processes. They are also advocating for investment in larger gas carrier terminals, an Africa-wide clean-cooking data platform, and LPG financing facility.

The need for sustainable solutions is critical,” said Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners and Distributors Association. “Subsidies are not a viable long-term answer. We need collaboration between governments and investors to address these challenges and promote clean cooking access across Africa.

The experts are also exploring green finance options and carbon credits to support clean cooking projects, highlighting the importance of working together to achieve a cleaner, healthier future for Africa’s households.