Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has officially launched the Economic Community of West African States Commission’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Programme in Sierra Leone, unveiling a pilot phase that will deliver 10,000 canisters of clean cooking gas to households across the country.
The launch took place during a high-level policy dialogue on clean cooking, gender equality and child protection, bringing together regional leaders, policymakers, development partners and private sector stakeholders to advance access to safer and more sustainable cooking solutions across West Africa.
In his keynote address, President Bio described access to clean cooking as both a public health and development priority, revealing that nearly 10,000 Sierra Leoneans died in 2021 from air pollution linked to cooking with firewood and charcoal.
“What we confront today is not confined to Sierra Leone but Africa as a whole. Lack of access to clean cooking demands our collective response,” the President stated.
He noted that the effects of indoor air pollution continue to disproportionately impact women and children, stressing that the issue is not abstract but one rooted in poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity. He recalled witnessing firsthand the health burden carried by women exposed daily to smoke from biomass cooking methods.
President Bio said that when his administration assumed office in 2018, there was no clear accountability framework for clean cooking, adding that government has since established a dedicated Clean Cooking Delivery Unit to coordinate reforms and accelerate progress.
He called on the private sector to invest in clean cooking solutions, noting that the market potential is significant and policy foundations are already in place.
He further emphasized that women should not only be beneficiaries of the transition but active entrepreneurs and leaders in the clean energy value chain.
“Our women do not lack solutions; they lack champions,” he said, urging stakeholders to use the next 100 days to engage communities already transitioning to cleaner cooking systems.
President Bio reaffirmed that Sierra Leone is ready to lead, while commending ECOWAS for supporting regional efforts to ensure no woman dies due to lack of access to clean cooking energy.
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio described the issue as one affecting the daily realities of mothers and families across the country. She said many women still cook over open flames, exposing themselves and their children to dangerous smoke.
She noted that over 600,000 schoolchildren currently benefit from the government’s school feeding programme, but many meals are prepared using open-fire methods that expose cooks, teachers and pupils to harmful emissions.
“This must change,” she said, calling for cleaner cooking systems in schools and homes nationwide.
Minister of Energy Cyril Arnold Grant said the launch signaled Sierra Leone’s readiness to expand access to clean cooking. He disclosed that 72 percent of households rely on firewood, 22 percent use charcoal, while only 1.5 percent currently use clean cooking solutions. He described energy poverty as a driver of gender inequality and poor health outcomes.
Among distinguished participants was Rachel Ruto, who said Africa’s clean cooking movement must ensure no woman cooks in smoke and no forest disappears due to dependence on charcoal and firewood.
Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, highlighted the urgent need to scale up clean cooking adoption nationwide.
Representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Clean Cooking Alliance, ECOWAS and regional dignitaries also delivered statements supporting the initiative.
The First Lady of Kenya, Madam Rachel Ruto and Global Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance, Madam Samira Bawumia delivered special addresses.
The launch marks a significant step in Sierra Leone’s transition toward cleaner household energy, improved health outcomes, women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability.
