The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, has said the planned distribution of 80 million green cookstoves across Nigeria has the potential to boost economic growth, improve public health, create jobs, and reduce carbon emissions.
Oshodi made the remarks during a media chat, strategic project implementation retreat, and stakeholders’ engagement organised by Greenplinth Africa Ltd in Lagos on Tuesday.
Speaking virtually, she described the initiative as one of Africa’s most ambitious clean energy projects, noting that increasing international interest highlights a growing focus on practical climate solutions that deliver tangible environmental, health, and economic benefits.
According to her, over 900 million Africans still depend on traditional biomass and inefficient cooking methods, which contribute to deforestation, environmental degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and health risks.
She stressed that clean cooking should be viewed not only as an energy solution but also as a climate action tool, public health intervention, gender empowerment strategy, and driver of sustainable development.
Oshodi revealed that pilot projects carried out in Makoko, Lagos, recorded significant improvements in fuel efficiency and household energy use. Baseline assessments showed that households using traditional firewood stoves consumed an average of 10 kilogrammes of firewood daily, with some larger households using up to 33 kilogrammes.
She noted that the pilot programme reduced average daily firewood consumption to about 1.37 kilogrammes per household, describing the outcome as a transformative improvement rather than a marginal gain.
The adviser added that the project could unlock opportunities in climate finance, carbon markets, local manufacturing, women’s empowerment, and green enterprise development.
She called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, investors, development partners, manufacturers, and local communities to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative