IEA report: $37 bn needed for achieving clean cooking in Africa by 2040

* 460 000 new permanent jobs would be created in the clean cooking value chain

* Report’s new roadmap: 80 million people can gain clean cooking solutions each year

Achieving clean cooking access in Africa requires $37 billion in cumulative investment to 2040, equivalent to roughly $2 billion per year, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Under a new roadmap in the report entitled “Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa”, 80 million people can gain clean cooking solutions each year, representing a sevenfold acceleration from today’s pace. Through a granular, country-by-country analysis, the roadmap is based on real-world conditions, ensuring that the technology and fuel choices are viable and aligned with consumer preferences and infrastructure realities.

In the roadmap, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) provides access for over 60% of newly connected households, with the rest gaining access through growing shares of electricity, bioethanol, biogas and advanced biomass cookstoves. Urban areas reach near-complete access by 2035 while rural access expands steadily through the 2030s.

Meanwhile, 460 000 new permanent jobs would be created in the clean cooking value chain, primarily in fuel distribution, retail services, and equipment maintenance – comparable to the total number of electric utility workers in Africa today.

There are also major climate and environmental benefits to progress on clean cooking. While the pathway entails some additional energy-related emissions from greater LPG and electricity use, these are dramatically outweighed by reductions in emissions from forest degradation and the incomplete combustion of wood-based fuels. As a result, 540 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are avoided annually in 2040.

As part of its ongoing commitment, the IEA will continue to track the delivery of the 2024 Summit pledges, reporting regularly on policies, financing flows and real-world outcomes. This coincides with the momentum on the African continent, where leadership by the African Union and the Government of Tanzania – both longstanding champions of clean cooking access in Africa – culminated in the recent Dar es Salaam Declaration. Senior representatives of both the African Union and Tanzania will take part in the launch event of the report today.

The report features the first comprehensive mapping of clean cooking infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa, combined with an assessment of the cost and accessibility of each cooking solution down to the square kilometer. This detail informs a country-by-country roadmap for how sub-Saharan Africa can replicate the most effective policies, financing models and business strategies seen elsewhere, while adapting them to local contexts.

African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Lerato Mataboge said “Clean cooking is a fundamental need and a foundation for health, equality, and economic empowerment, especially for women and girls across the continent. The African Union is proud to see growing momentum behind this issue, and we urge all partners to sustain their efforts. With strong political commitment, targeted finance and regional cooperation, we can make universal access to clean cooking a reality for every African household. The IEA’s leadership in convening partners and tracking progress has been instrumental in elevating clean cooking on the global agenda and turning pledges into real action on the ground.”