By Abdullahi Lukman
The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to promoting clean energy solutions as a key strategy for women’s empowerment, particularly in underserved communities across Nigeria.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Northeast LPG Penetration Programme and LPG cylinder distribution event in Maiduguri, Borno State, Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted the urgent need to address energy poverty among Nigerian women.
She cited World Health Organization (WHO) data, revealing that over 98,000 Nigerians die annually from household air pollution caused by cooking with firewood and other solid fuels.
“This is one of the highest rates in the world,” she stated, adding that daily exposure to firewood smoke is equivalent to smoking over 100 cigarettes.
She expressed concern that Nigeria remains among the top five countries globally with the highest number of people relying on solid fuels for cooking, despite having Africa’s largest gas reserves.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that reliance on firewood not only harms women’s health but also contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation, and climate change.
She described the LPG distribution event as more than just providing cooking gas—it symbolizes the government’s commitment to transitioning Nigerian households to cleaner, safer, and more efficient cooking solutions.
Related Posts
To ensure sustainability, she announced the establishment of the Steering Committee for the Nigerian Women Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Scale-Up and Empowerment Initiative.
The initiative aims to transition one million households to clean cooking solutions within three years, particularly in underserved areas.
It will also create economic opportunities for women in the LPG value chain through training, entrepreneurship, and financial support.
While interventions like LPG cylinder distribution are critical, the minister emphasized the need to eliminate systemic barriers to clean cooking adoption.
The minister called for fiscal incentives to make LPG more affordable and for collaboration with state governments to integrate clean energy into social intervention programs.
“We cannot continue to lose our mothers, daughters, and children to preventable health conditions caused by indoor air pollution,” she said.
“The ministry will not rest until every Nigerian woman, no matter where she lives, has access to clean, affordable cooking solutions.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also acknowledged the support of stakeholders, including Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, and urged men to actively support the transition to clean cooking for the well-being of their families.
