The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has revealed the alarming toll of unsafe cooking practices in Africa, with an estimated 600,000 women and children dying annually due to exposure to smoke from firewood and charcoal.
Adesina made this revelation during the Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which focuses on bridging Africa’s electricity access gap through innovative financing and advanced technology. The summit, themed “Mission 300,” is a collaborative effort between the AfDB, the World Bank Group, and global partners and is hosted by the Tanzanian government.
Highlighting the tragic consequences of a lack of access to clean cooking solutions, Adesina explained that approximately 300,000 women and an equal number of children die each year due to smoke inhalation. He attributed these deaths to the widespread reliance on firewood and charcoal for cooking, which affects over 1.2 billion African women.
“Why should anybody have to die just for trying to cook a decent meal that is taken for granted in other parts of the world? That is not acceptable! In good conscience, we just can’t allow this,” Adesina stated.
The AfDB president called for urgent action, describing access to clean cooking solutions as a critical aspect of the energy transition that goes beyond environmental concerns to save lives and uphold human dignity.
To achieve universal access to clean cooking in Africa, Adesina disclosed that $4 billion in annual funding is required. The African Development Bank has pledged $2 billion toward this goal. He also commended countries like Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana for their commitments to achieving 100% access to clean cooking solutions by 2030.
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, expressed optimism about the initiative’s success, emphasizing the need for predictable policies, stable regulatory frameworks, and effective land acquisition processes to attract private-sector investment. Similarly, Rajiv Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, announced a $65 million commitment to the programme and urged global philanthropists to lend their support.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed underscored the transformative potential of energy access in rural communities. She noted its capacity to drive digital financial services, online education, and e-commerce, especially for women and youth. However, she highlighted the need for significant financial reforms and private-sector participation to achieve these goals.
The summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, outlining commitments and reforms by African governments, as well as the launch of National Energy Compacts, which will set country-specific targets for critical energy sector improvements.
