As global energy leaders gathered in Paris for a High-Level Ministerial Dialogue hosted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on February 18, 2026, Tanzania announced a more than threefold increase in access to clean cooking energy over the past four years.
The country’s Minister of Energy, Deogratius Ndejembi, reported that access has risen from 6.9 per cent in 2021 to 23.2 per cent in 2025, showcasing early successes from a determined national effort to move away from deadly biomass fuels.
The IEA conference, co-chaired by leaders from Tanzania, Norway, the African Development Bank, and the IEA, is building on the momentum of the landmark 2024 Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, which mobilised a historic US$2.2 billion in pledges.
The gathering aims to accelerate action ahead of a second major summit scheduled for Nairobi in July 2026, keeping a global spotlight on an issue that remains a silent killer across the continent.
Despite the reported progress, the reality on the ground in Tanzania reveals a stark divide. While urban access to clean cooking fuels has reached 23.3 per cent, a mere 2.5 per cent of the rural population has made the switch.
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The vast majority of households, over 90 per cent nationwide, still depend on firewood and charcoal. This reliance comes at a devastating cost, with household air pollution from these fuels contributing to the deaths of over 33,000 Tanzanians annually and causing productivity losses equivalent to over three per cent of the nation’s GDP.
Recognising the urgency, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government has taken decisive action.
In May 2024, she launched the National Clean Cooking Strategy (2024–2034), an ambitious plan aiming for 80 per cent adoption of clean cooking solutions by 2034.
“Successfully advancing the clean cooking agenda in Africa would contribute towards protecting the environment, climate, health, and ensuring gender equality,” President Samia stated, framing it as a cornerstone of sustainable development.
However, significant hurdles remain. The transition is hampered by the high upfront cost of equipment, inadequate distribution infrastructure for fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in rural areas, and low-income levels.
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Experts note that addressing these infrastructure gaps, including LPG terminals and distribution networks, requires an estimated US$1.8 billion investment.
To overcome these barriers, the Tanzanian government is implementing a multi-pronged approach. This fiscal year, it plans to distribute 200,000 improved cookstoves and 450,000 LPG cylinders with subsidies.
It is also piloting a system to allow citizens to pay for electric cooking appliances through their electricity bills, reducing initial costs. Furthermore, a ban has been placed on the use of firewood and charcoal in institutions that serve over 100 people, such as schools and hospitals, to drive the transition and reduce environmental degradation.
The ongoing IEA dialogue and the upcoming Nairobi summit are critical for maintaining global support and ensuring that financial commitments translate into tangible action on the ground.
As IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted after the 2024 summit, the goal is to solve the clean cooking challenge this decade, a mission that requires sustained investment, innovative policies, and unwavering international partnership.
