Increasing Access to Clean Cook Stove Fuel for the Poor – Nigeria

This activity aims to increase production of ethanol cooking gel for low-income Africans, particularly the urban poor in Nigeria. This cleaner, safer, and cheaper cooking solution reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while providing green business opportunities. It is the first effort at commercial cellulosic ethanol production in Africa.

Fast facts:

More than 160,000 stoves sold so far;
800,000 litres of ethanol cooking fuel produced and sold;
Named best clean energy investment opportunity in West Africa and overall winner at the West Africa Forum for Clean Energy Financing Business Plan competition in Accra.

The problem

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. In the evenings, women can be seen returning home after a long day of fuel gathering, carrying enormous bundles of wood on their heads. In addition to wood, many Nigerian households depend on kerosene. But they suffer from condensate-laden kerosene that burns with high emissions of soot and particulate matter. Many thousands of people, mainly women and children, die every year from indoor air pollution in Nigeria. Respiratory problems, skin cancer, eye problems, food poisoning, and threats to women’s safety result from overexposure to unhealthy cooking fuels.

The solution

This project is helping Nigerians shift away from firewood and kerosene by providing a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable alternative. Biomass such as sawdust and water hyacinth that would otherwise produce methane when they decompose, or particulate matter when burned, are utilized to produce ethanol fuel gel. The gel and accompanying modern stove can be sold under a small business model where independent distributors can tap social marketing.

A larger production facility in Lagos is being built to take advantage of the large amount of waste feedstock available there. After this is completed, micro-refineries can be piloted across other zones in Nigeria.

Helping the planet

This initiative enables a shift away from wood and fossil fuels for cooking, reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon. In addition to decreasing pollution including of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, this project prevents deforestation and contributes to sustainable use of natural resources.

Helping people

The clean stove and cooking fuel improve health and living conditions for the households that use them. They saves money, in addition to saving time that would otherwise be spent gathering wood or waiting in line to buy kerosene. Through the micro-business model, individuals and communities have the opportunity to transform their lives by starting their own green ventures.

Scaling up

Once established, the business is planned for growth in Nigeria and expansion to more than 10 million beneficiaries over the next five years. Two rounds of investment are planned in coming years to help achieve scale. After scale-up has been achieved, the cooking gel and stove will be more affordable than kerosene in sub-Saharan Africa and other markets. This will allow for further establishment of ethanol gel production facilities. Licensing out to select markets is also under consideration.