Kenya pushes for universal clean cooking with Sh.133 B plan

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Kenya is stepping up efforts to ensure every household and institution has access to clean cooking solutions.

President William Ruto has called for stronger partnerships and increased investment to tackle one of Africa's biggest energy challenges.

Speaking during a high-level virtual event focused on keeping clean cooking at the top of Africa's development agenda, the President said the country requires approximately Sh.133 billion to achieve universal access to clean cooking.

President Ruto noted that nearly one billion Africans continue to rely on traditional fuels such as firewood and charcoal for cooking, exposing families to harmful indoor air pollution while contributing to environmental degradation and climate change.

He warned that with less than five years remaining to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa cannot afford to lose momentum.

"Nearly one billion Africans still rely on traditional and polluting cooking fuels, with profound consequences for public health, education, environmental sustainability and climate action," President Ruto said.

The event, which was originally planned as the Second Africa Clean Cooking Summit in Nairobi, brought together global leaders and energy experts, including International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol, Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

Kenya has made clean cooking a national priority through the Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, which targets universal access to clean cooking by 2028.

According to the President, the country requires Sh.56.5 billion to provide clean cooking solutions to households and an additional Sh.76.7 billion to transition schools, hospitals, prisons and other public institutions to cleaner energy sources.

Together, these investments amount to roughly Sh.133 billion.

Ruto noted that the challenge extends beyond homes, as thousands of institutions across Africa still depend on firewood, increasing pressure on forests and exposing millions of people to dangerous smoke.

"The financing challenge extends across Africa. Closing the continent's clean cooking access gap will require investment at an unprecedented scale," he said.

The President welcomed new commitments worth $900 million (Ksh.117 billion) toward advancing clean cooking initiatives and announced that Kenya will become one of the inaugural members of the newly integrated Clean Cooking Alliance under the International Energy Agency.

He said the partnership would strengthen efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking technologies across the country and the continent.

International Energy Agency Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol praised Kenya's leadership, revealing that development partners have already pledged $2.2 billion for clean cooking projects between 2024 and 2030, with $750 million already disbursed.

However, he cautioned that four out of five Africans still rely on unsafe cooking methods, contributing to an estimated 850,000 premature deaths each year due to pollution and respiratory illnesses.

President Ruto urged African leaders and development partners to transform financial commitments into practical solutions that improve lives.

"Together, let us turn today's commitments into lasting impact for the people of Africa," the President said.