Over 80,000 Nigerian Women Die Each Year From Toxic Cooking Smoke. Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim Urges Clean Energy Solutions To Address Energy Poverty And Health Risks In Rural Communities.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has expressed grave concern over the alarming statistics of over 80,000 Nigerian women who lose their lives annually due to toxic smoke inhalation from traditional cooking practices, such as using firewood and kerosene stoves.

During a recent stakeholders’ engagement on women’s access to clean energy in Abuja, the minister highlighted the severe social and economic challenges posed by energy poverty, particularly for rural women. She described energy poverty as more than just a technical issue but a form of social injustice.

“Energy poverty isn’t just a technical issue; it represents a social injustice,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated. “It keeps women trapped in cycles of unpaid labor, economic dependence, and health risks. In numerous rural areas, women spend up to eight hours weekly collecting firewood.”

The minister called for an urgent partnership among stakeholders in the energy sector to provide cleaner, safer alternatives for women, especially those in underserved communities. As part of this effort, a new initiative was launched, focusing on offering solar-powered solutions for both domestic and agricultural purposes.

“Through this initiative, we will ensure energy access through solar home systems, clean cooking technologies, solar-powered water pumps, e-mobility tools, and other productive-use appliances to every part of the country,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.

The meeting also featured significant contributions from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), showcasing their ongoing efforts to bridge the energy access gap.

Abba Abubakar-Aliyu, Managing Director of REA, shared that the $550 million Nigerian Electrification Project has already impacted approximately eight million Nigerians and 35,000 businesses, including 12,000 women-led enterprises. He further revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved an additional $750 million off-grid power project, with a large portion of the funds dedicated to mini-grids and solar home systems.

“This presents a great opportunity for us to replicate and scale this intervention across the nation,” Abubakar-Aliyu stated.

Khalil Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI—represented by Dr. Olayode Olasupo—also addressed the disproportionate effects of energy poverty on rural women. He explained that inadequate access to clean cooking energy, along with limited access to electricity for lighting and other essential services, restricts women’s access to vital services, reduces economic opportunities, and threatens their health and safety.

Stakeholders at the event emphasized the importance of gender-sensitive energy policies and sustainable financing models to guarantee equitable access to clean energy for women in remote and rural areas.