IEA: LPG crisis threatens Africa’s clean cooking progress
The IEA warns that the global LPG crisis, driven by Strait of Hormuz disruptions, threatens Africa’s clean cooking progress, impacting health and developme Read More: https://punchng.com/iea-lpg-crisis-threatens-africas-clean-cooking-progress/
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a warning that a crisis in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stemming from the Strait of Hormuz disruption threatens Africa’s progress towards clean cooking solutions. Over 1.9 billion people worldwide still rely on polluting fuels such as wood and charcoal for cooking, causing approximately 2.5 million premature deaths annually due to household air pollution.
The IEA's report reveals that nearly half of the 1.9 billion people lacking access to clean cooking solutions reside in Africa, where although progress has accelerated, it has not kept pace with population growth. While LPG supplies were generally available, sharply higher prices have made the fuel unaffordable for many households, particularly in markets without state-set fuel pricing like Nigeria and Uganda.
Nigeria, where LPG has become a growing alternative to other cooking fuels, could witness a rise in the use of more polluting fuels due to higher LPG prices. As half of global seaborne LPG trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, 3.4 billion people who rely on LPG as their primary cooking fuel are at risk of supply disruptions and price shocks.
Many countries have limited domestic LPG reserves, with fewer than 35 nations possessing enough operational and strategic storage to cover over 30 days of domestic LPG demand. Conventional cooking methods burden households in various ways, including health implications and time spent collecting firewood. Women and children suffer the most, with the lack of clean cooking access affecting productivity and education.
Although Africa has made faster progress in clean cooking access, reaching 23% in 2024, the population growth has outpaced this development. As of 2024, 12 million people gained access to clean cooking solutions in 2024, compared to about four million in 2010. LPG remains the leading clean cooking fuel in Africa, accounting for more than 70% of people with access and representing the majority of new connections in 2024.
While Africa's pace of clean cooking delivery now exceeds that of 2010, the IEA cautions that the LPG crisis poses a fresh risk to these gains.
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