by Chioma Ome, Solar Sister Country Director for Nigeria (adapted from LinkedIn)
Clean Cooking Is Not ONLY a Market Problem. It Is a Public Health Imperative. Across Africa, we often speak about clean cooking as a “market opportunity.” We discuss affordability, distribution, last-mile entrepreneurs, and financing models.
All important- But also incomplete.
Because clean cooking is not just a product to be sold. It is a public health intervention, a gender equity issue, and a matter of survival. And markets alone do not solve those.
The Cost of Leaving It to the Market
Today, 3 million people die prematurely every year globally due to household air pollution from cooking with dirty fuels. Let that sink in.
Women and children carry the highest burden — inhaling smoke daily simply because they are preparing food for their families. Yet in many countries, adoption of clean cooking solutions is still treated like optional consumer behavior — something people will “choose” when they can afford it. But evidence across Africa shows something deeper:
- Clean cooking adoption is not only about price or availability
- It is heavily shaped by awareness, perception, and social norms
A multi-country study across Sub-Saharan Africa found that awareness, cultural beliefs, and perceived benefits are key determinants of whether households adopt clean cooking solutions. In Uganda, research shows that health awareness and knowledge of benefits directly influence adoption decisions — not just income levels.
In simple terms:
People must understand the risk before they change their behavior.
What Counterpart Countries Are Doing Differently
Take Kenya as an example- Clean cooking adoption is gaining traction not just because of products in the market, but because of deliberate, coordinated national efforts:
- Government-backed strategies
- Public awareness campaigns
- Partnerships across sectors (energy, environment, education)
- Community-based demonstration hubs
These initiatives are actively shaping behavior and perception, not just supply. Even then, challenges persist, showing that without sustained policy and awareness, markets alone cannot carry the transition.
We Cannot “Market” Our Way Out of the Clean Cooking Crisis
Clean cooking is not a market problem waiting to be solved by better distribution models or more affordable products. It is a public health emergency hiding in plain sight. Over 3 million people die every year from household air pollution — largely from cooking with firewood, charcoal, and other polluting fuels. And the burden sits squarely on women. Women who are not making a “choice.” Women who are simply trying to feed their families.
Markets respond to demand. But demand is shaped by awareness and perception. If people do not understand the health risks, see clean cooking as essential, or associate smoke with danger, they will not prioritize it. No matter how many products are available.
This is not a theory. Across countries like Kenya and Uganda, progress in clean cooking adoption has been closely tied to: Public awareness campaigns, Community engagement, and Health-based messaging. Not just product availability.
People change their behavior when they understand risk.
A Simple but Powerful Lesson from Imo State
I was recently in my maiden state, Imo State, and noticed something striking: Frozen chicken is practically non-existent in the market. Chickens are bought live and prepared fresh.
Why? Because of a strong public perception that frozen chicken is unsafe or unhealthy. Now, whether that perception is entirely accurate is not the point. The belief is so widespread that it has completely shaped the market. This reinforces the fact that:
- No demand → no supply
- No awareness gap → no behavior gap.
This is what happens when awareness is strong and consistent.
Clean cooking is largely still optional in Nigeria because we have not treated it like the crisis it is. Instead, we talk about affordability, push distribution and expect households to “upgrade” when they can, while millions continue to inhale smoke daily.
Nigeria Already Has the Missing Piece
We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Nigeria has one of the most powerful behavior-change institutions on the continent: #The National Orientation Agency has presence across all 774 LGAs, the NOA has successfully driven: Public health campaigns, civic behavior change, and nationwide awareness initiatives.
The real question is: Why is clean cooking not at the center of its national campaigns?
This requires the whole-of-Government action, if we are serious about scale. It cannot sit only within the energy sector. It must be mainstreamed across:
- #The Federal Ministry of Health- Position clean cooking as a health risk, not a lifestyle upgrade
- #The Federal Ministry of Education- Build awareness early through schools and youth engagement
- #The Federal Ministry of Environment- Link to deforestation, climate, and environmental degradation
- #The National Orientation Agency-Lead sustained, nationwide behavior change campaigns
And yes — actors like #The Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking (NACC) must be fully integrated into this ecosystem as the industry coordination platform.
The truth we MUST accept
Clean cooking adoption will not scale because: Products exist, prices drop, and distribution improves. It will scale when people believe it is non-negotiable for their survival.
Final Thought
No woman should die because she wants to cook for her family. Not in 2026. Not when solutions exist. Not when the real barrier is awareness.
We will continue to move too slowly.
#Cleancooking is not optional. It is not a “nice-to-have.” It is a must. And until we treat it as such — through policy, awareness, and national mobilization.
Along with being Solar Sister Country Director, Chioma Ome is the Chairman of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking