The Lagos State Government has expressed strong interest and readiness to provide full support to ensure that residents of the state maximally benefit from the distribution of clean and energy-efficient cookstoves to 80 million Nigerian households.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Environment, Engineer Rotimi Akodu, conveyed the state’s position at a media chat and stakeholders’ engagement held in Lagos.
At the event, it was announced that the full rollout of the clean cookstoves distribution would soon commence in 8 states—Lagos, Niger, Enugu, Nasarawa, Benue, Kebbi, Borno, and Delta.
Coming shortly after the distribution of clean cookstoves to residents of the Makoko area of Lagos, the engagement served as a strategic platform to educate, brief, and update key stakeholders, partners, the media, and the general public on the status of the project and other sustainability programmes.
Experts at the forum noted that accessing the global carbon credit market—estimated to be worth about $7.5 trillion—had previously seemed unattainable for Nigeria.
However, with the deployment of energy-efficient cookstoves, the country stands a chance of earning up to $5 billion annually if the technology is fully deployed to 80 million households and used as prescribed.
The project also includes the planting of 4 billion trees nationwide, a figure estimated to be about 20 times Nigeria’s population.
In his special remarks and goodwill message, Engineer Akodu said the forum was of particular interest to the Lagos State Government, having been actively involved in the project from inception.
He noted that if properly executed, the clean cookstoves initiative would significantly reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint—especially in Lagos—while also promoting climate change adaptation and creating sustainable livelihoods.
Akodu emphasized that Lagos remains one of the states most vulnerable to climate change impacts, including flooding and the submerging of coastal communities, which threaten lives and livelihoods.
He explained that this vulnerability informed the state’s proactive environmental policies, including wetland preservation and the recent ban on single-use plastics.
According to him, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has made environment and health central to its agenda, believing that wider access to clean cookstoves would further reduce carbon emissions and improve living standards.
“We started this journey together. Mr Governor is fully involved and has directed relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to give maximum support so that Lagos benefits optimally. Lagos is not laid back when it comes to environmental protection. We are already losing some coastal villages to climate change. Whatever we can do to reduce carbon emissions, we are more than ready to be part of the 80 million clean cookstove distribution project,” Akodu said.
Also speaking, former General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and current Chairman of the House Committee on Environment at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Rasheed Adebola Shabi, stated that Nigeria is increasingly serious about reducing carbon emissions, with Lagos taking a leading role.
Dr Shabi recalled that in 2013, Lagos began transitioning its official vehicles from diesel to gas, and in 2014 initiated programmes aimed at reducing vehicular emissions.
He stressed the urgent need to cut Nigeria’s carbon footprint to improve quality of life and life expectancy, noting that many health challenges—including eye-related diseases—are linked to carbon emissions.
On his part, the Co-founder, Vice President, and Group Managing Director of Greenplinth Africa, the company behind the project, Dr Victor Fadeke, said the innovation was the product of 25 years of research and development aimed at reducing carbon emissions and systematically shrinking Nigeria’s carbon footprint.
He explained that the clean cookstove is designed to phase out the use of firewood for cooking, thereby tackling deforestation and positioning Nigeria to benefit from the global carbon credit market.
According to him, the project would contribute to at least 10 Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, food security, improved health, and environmental sustainability.
Dr Fadeke described carbon as the “new global currency,” noting that significant revenue could be generated by countries that successfully reduce their carbon footprints. He added that Nigerians have reason to be grateful for the innovation, which he said would create sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of life.
“This is the first clean and efficient cookstove in the world that saves at least 90 percent of emissions released into the atmosphere. It targets 10 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It will help women who spend up to 8 hours daily gathering firewood, allowing them to spend more quality time with their families. According to the World Bank, 85 percent of deforestation in Nigeria is caused by firewood use, and over 100,000 women and children die annually from indoor air pollution,” he said.
In a presentation, Engineer Babatunde Aina, Group Financial Officer of Greenplinth Africa, said the project involves the distribution of 80 million cookstoves and the planting of 4 billion trees nationwide. He described the initiative as a defining moment in Nigeria’s environmental and climate justice journey.
Engineer Aina highlighted the uniqueness of the cookstove, noting that it can retain heat for up to 5 hours. He further stated that the stoves would be distributed free of charge, while beneficiaries would receive a ₦10,000 monthly stipend and free health insurance covering up to 8 household members.
He described the initiative as “climate justice delivered with dignity.”
He further explained that the project positions Nigeria to earn from global carbon credit funds, available to countries that take measurable actions to reduce carbon emissions.
“Carbon is an asset and a commodity, just like crude oil. A household using this stove will save a minimum of 15.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide within one year,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Yahaya Ahmed, Chief Operating Officer of Greenplinth Africa, presented a paper on how the Panda-15 Clean Cookstove works and its contribution to Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions.
He said climate change challenges facing the country made the innovation imperative.
He noted that prolonged exposure to air pollution causes respiratory illnesses and that Nigeria loses about 1.7 kilometres of land annually to desertification.
According to him, 250 villages have already been lost to desert encroachment in Yobe State alone, while coastal communities from Badagry to Calabar face severe threats from rising sea levels, with about 50 villages already submerged.
Other dignitaries, including former LASEPA General Manager Dr Adetokunbo Adedeji, Dr Eugene Itua, CEO of Natural Eco Capital, and Dr Tony Ojoba, emphasized the importance of a long-term carbon reduction strategy for Nigeria’s survival and economic transformation.
Dr Tunde Elemo delivered his remarks virtually.
Dr Ojoba urged that Nigeria must unlock the vast economic opportunities in the carbon market, likening its potential to the telecommunications revolution that created countless businesses and small enterprises.
He highlighted that testimonies from early beneficiaries in Makoko show strong acceptance of the cookstoves due to their convenience, speed, and pollution-free operation.
“People who have used it do not want to return to firewood. The reality is that 80 million stoves may still not be enough, considering the number of households in Nigeria,” he said.
The event also served as the official curtain-raiser for The Green Conference and the 2026 Projects Implementation Retreat, scheduled to hold in March.
According to the organisers, the conference will bring together government institutions, financial institutions, development partners, private-sector leaders, investors, and the media to advance practical, bankable climate-action and green-finance initiatives across Nigeria and Africa.
Reporting By Innocent Onoh