By Sodiq Adelakun
Lagos State is preparing to roll out an ambitious clean energy initiative that will distribute 80 million clean cookstoves across Nigeria, starting with six million units in Lagos. The scheme aims to reduce indoor air pollution, deforestation, and carbon emissions.
The project is being led by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget in partnership with GreenPlinth Africa and supported by the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy. It represents the largest clean cooking initiative worldwide and forms a key part of Nigeria’s new climate-smart economic strategy.
At a press briefing held yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Ope George, described the initiative as “a strategic leap forward in our quest to build a greener, healthier, and more inclusive Lagos.”
He explained, “The 80 Million Clean Cookstove Initiative presents a transformational opportunity to enhance the lives of millions, particularly women and children, by promoting access to clean energy, reducing harmful air pollution, and preventing deforestation in vulnerable communities.”
Mr George also outlined the project’s significant economic potential. It is expected to generate over 35 million green jobs, produce 1.2 billion tonnes of compliance carbon offsets, and attract substantial climate investment through the launch of the Lagos Carbon Exchange (LCX). The LCX will be Africa’s first subnational carbon market and only the second in the world after California’s.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will chair the project’s Advisory Board, with Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State as Deputy Chair.
The Advisory Board will also include six vice-chairpersons representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, the private sector, development partners, and civil society, who will guide the project’s implementation.
Mrs Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy, underscored that the initiative would “position Nigeria at the forefront of global carbon markets under the UNFCCC Article 6.4ER framework.”
She added, “The Clean Cookstoves Project is not only the largest of its kind but also serves as an economic, social, and environmental blueprint. It will deploy efficient cookstoves, establish a sovereign green endowment fund, and improve health outcomes for millions of households.”
The distribution is set to begin on June 25, 2025, in Makoko, a densely populated waterfront community in Lagos identified as one of the state’s most climate-vulnerable areas.
Officials stated that the use of firewood in households will be significantly reduced and replaced with cleaner alternatives such as sawdust, corn husk, and other biomass materials. Additionally, beneficiary local councils will receive ₦1 billion annually to support local green development projects.
The initiative has already secured formal approval from the Nigerian Climate Change Council, making it the first programme in over ten years to meet both national and international climate standards.