Sierra Leone Launches ECOWAS‑Supported LPG Pilot to Tackle Indoor Air Pollution
On Tuesday, President Julius Maada Bio unveiled the first phase of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) program in Sierra Leone. The pilot will distribute 10,000 bottles of clean cooking gas to households across the country, marking a concrete step toward reducing reliance on firewood and charcoal.
Why Clean Cooking Matters in Sierra Leone
In his keynote address, President Bio highlighted that indoor air pollution from traditional cooking fuels claimed nearly 10,000 lives in Sierra Leone in 2021. He noted that the burden falls disproportionately on women and children, who spend hours near open fires while preparing meals.
Energy Minister Cyril Arnold Grant provided a snapshot of current energy use: 72 % of households rely on firewood, 22 % on charcoal, and only 1.5 % have access to clean cooking solutions. This stark gap underscores the urgency of expanding LPG availability.
Linking Health, Gender Equality, and Child Protection
The launch was embedded within a high‑level policy dialogue on clean cooking, gender equality, and child protection. First Lady Fatima Maada Bio pointed out that over 600,000 school children benefit from the national school feeding program, yet many meals are still cooked over open flames, exposing cooks, teachers, and students to harmful smoke.
She urged stakeholders to adopt cleaner cooking systems in both schools and homes, emphasizing that change is not only a health imperative but also a matter of protecting mothers and their families.
Government Action and Policy Foundations
President Bio recalled that when his administration took office in 2018, there was no clear accountability framework for clean cooking. Since then, the government has established a dedicated clean cooking unit to coordinate reforms and accelerate progress.
Minister Grant described energy poverty as a root cause of gender inequality and poor health outcomes, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to integrate clean energy goals into broader development plans.
Empowering Women and Engaging the Private Sector
A recurring theme throughout the event was the need to position women not just as beneficiaries but as entrepreneurs and leaders in the clean energy value chain. President Bio declared, “Our women are not lacking solutions; they are lacking champions,” and called for a 100‑day community engagement push to support those already transitioning to cleaner cooking.
He also invited private sector investment, noting that the market potential for LPG and other clean cooking technologies is significant and that policy foundations are already in place.
Regional Support and Collaboration
Representatives from ECOWAS, the Clean Cooking Alliance, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and various development partners voiced their backing for the initiative. Notable speakers included the First Lady of Kenya, Ms. Rachel Ruto, and the Global Ambassador of the Clean Cooking Alliance, former Second Lady of Ghana, Ms. Samira Bawumia.
Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, stressed the urgent need to scale clean cooking adoption nationwide, framing it as a critical component of Sierra Leone’s climate and food security strategies.
Looking Ahead
The LPG pilot represents a tangible first step toward a broader transition to cleaner household energy in Sierra Leone. By targeting 10,000 bottles in the initial phase, the program aims to demonstrate feasibility, build consumer trust, and generate data that can inform nationwide scale‑up.
If successful, the initiative could substantially reduce indoor air‑related mortality, improve health outcomes for women and children, lessen environmental degradation from deforestation, and create new economic opportunities within the clean cooking sector.
As President Bio affirmed, Sierra Leone is ready to take the lead in West Africa’s clean cooking movement—provided that stakeholders continue to champion the cause, invest wisely, and place women at the forefront of the transition.
