Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs has said the Ministry is ready to partner with the Presidential Committee on Gas Transition to see that more women, especially those in rural communities, benefit from clean cooking initiatives.c
She commended the committee for their commitment to promoting clean energy solutions and for recognizing the significant roles of women in achieving Nigeria’s energy transition goals.
“We are committed to supporting this agenda because, it directly aligns with our mandate to improve the socio-economic and health conditions of Nigerian women, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said last Friday in a session with the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Gas Transition, Prof. Mohammed M. Ibrahim.
“Providing access to clean cooking solutions is a critical step toward reducing energy poverty and empowering women across the country”, she added.
Professor Ibrahim on his part said the committee is focused on improving access to clean energy solutions that will positively impact women’s health, livelihoods, and well-being and highlighted the critical need to transition Nigerian households from traditional cooking methods, such as firewood and charcoal, to clean cooking technologies powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other sustainable energy sources.
While noting that women and children are the most affected by the health risks associated with traditional cooking practices, including respiratory diseases caused by prolonged exposure to harmful smoke, he said transitioning to clean cooking will reduce deforestation, improve household air quality, and create economic opportunities for women in the clean energy sector.
“Clean cooking is not just an environmental or economic issue; it is a health and social justice issue.
“Nigerian women, especially those in rural areas, deserve access to safer and more sustainable cooking methods that will improve their quality of life”, Prof. Ibrahim revealed.
Both parties agreed on the need for collaborative efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking technologies and to raise awareness of the health and economic benefits of clean energy solutions for women and their families.