Global efforts to expand clean cooking access across Africa received a major boost after leaders announced $900 million in new financial commitments ahead of the second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa. The announcement, made during a high-level virtual meeting led by the International Energy Agency (IEA), builds on the $2.2 billion mobilized at the inaugural 2024 Paris Summit and comes as nearly 1 billion people across Africa continue to lack access to clean cooking, contributing to approximately 850,000 premature deaths every year.
The virtual meeting brought together Kenyan President William Ruto, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, African Union Commissioner for Energy and Infrastructure Lerato Mataboge, and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, who reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating investment and policy action.
$900 Million in New Funding Expands Clean Cooking Investment
During the meeting, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol announced $900 million in new commitments for clean cooking projects across Africa.
The additional funding follows the $2.2 billion pledged during the 2024 Paris Summit, with the IEA reporting that $740 million has already been deployed across 22 African countries in just two years. According to the agency, this represents more than one-third of the original commitments being disbursed well ahead of the 2030 target.
More Than 120 New Policies Accelerate Clean Cooking Access
The IEA’s latest progress report highlights significant policy momentum since the first summit.
Governments have introduced 121 new clean cooking policies across more than 30 countries, representing approximately 80 percent of Africans who currently lack access to clean cooking.
The African Union and the IEA are now working together to help countries strengthen policy ambitions ahead of the next summit through a continent-wide clean cooking strategy and action plan.
Nearly 1 Billion Africans Still Lack Clean Cooking
Despite recent progress, access to clean cooking remains one of Africa’s largest energy and public health challenges.
Nearly 1 billion people across the continent continue to rely on traditional cooking fuels, contributing to around 850,000 premature deaths annually, with women and children bearing the greatest health burden.
Leaders at the meeting emphasized that expanding clean cooking access is essential for improving public health, energy security, economic development, and climate outcomes.
New Initiative Targets Global LPG Supply Chain Security
The IEA also launched a new Clean Cooking Security Programme, a public-private initiative designed to strengthen global clean cooking fuel supply chains.
The initiative follows disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which affected approximately 30 percent of globally traded liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) this year.
LPG remains the world’s primary cooking fuel, with more than 3.4 billion people relying on it for daily cooking.
The new program will provide policy and market support to improve domestic fuel security while exploring stronger international cooperation on clean cooking fuel supplies.
Clean Cooking Alliance Begins New Multilateral Role
The meeting also marked the inaugural plenary session of the newly established Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) as a multilateral initiative hosted by the IEA.
The Alliance welcomed 12 countries to its first plenary meeting, with additional countries considering membership. Working alongside the IEA, the organization will help governments implement clean cooking programs and convert financial commitments into measurable results.
Leaders Call for Greater Investment
President William Ruto said closing Africa’s clean cooking access gap will require investment at scale, noting that current annual financing remains well below the level needed despite today’s new commitments.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre highlighted that polluting cooking fuels continue to cause 850,000 premature deaths every year in Africa, primarily affecting women and children. He described clean cooking as one of the world’s most underfunded opportunities for development and climate action.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright emphasized that expanding access to affordable and reliable propane gas offers a practical solution for improving the lives of billions of people while strengthening energy infrastructure.
African Union Commissioner Lerato Mataboge said clean cooking represents not only an energy access challenge but also a major economic opportunity, noting that women and children in four out of every five households continue to be denied opportunities to contribute fully to Africa’s Agenda 2063 development vision.
African Development Bank Group President Sidi Ould Tah said the bank has increased its clean cooking financing by approximately tenfold since the inaugural 2024 Africa Clean Cooking Summit, while calling on additional partners to match the growing level of investment.
Global Momentum Builds Ahead of Next Summit
The co-chairs agreed to maintain clean cooking as a priority through international forums including the United Nations General Assembly, the G20, and COP, while working toward stronger commitments at the rescheduled Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa.
With an additional $900 million now committed, $2.2 billion already mobilized since 2024, $740 million deployed across 22 countries, 121 new policies introduced in more than 30 countries, and new initiatives focused on fuel security and implementation, Africa’s clean cooking transition is gaining momentum. However, leaders acknowledged that achieving universal access will require substantially greater investment to serve the nearly 1 billion Africans who still lack clean cooking solutions by 2030 and beyond.
SHAFANA FAZAL
