Africa Secures $900m for Clean Cooking Ahead of Continental Summit

Africa has secured $900 million in new financial commitments to expand access to clean cooking, reinforcing momentum ahead of the second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa and strengthening efforts to tackle one of the continent’s most pressing energy access challenges.

The funding was announced during a high-level virtual meeting of summit co-chairs and international partners, who reviewed progress since the inaugural 2024 summit. Participants included leaders from Kenya, Norway, the United States, the African Union and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The latest commitments build on the $2.2 billion mobilised at the 2024 Paris summit. According to the IEA’s latest progress report, $740 million of those commitments has already been deployed across 22 African countries, demonstrating steady progress in financing clean cooking projects.

Despite these advances, nearly one billion Africans still lack access to clean cooking, with reliance on traditional fuels contributing to an estimated 850,000 premature deaths each year. Participants agreed that expanding access to modern cooking technologies is essential for improving energy security, protecting public health and supporting climate objectives.

The meeting also highlighted significant policy progress. Since the first summit, 121 clean cooking policies have been introduced across more than 30 African countries, representing around 80% of Africa’s population without access to clean cooking. The African Union and the IEA are now supporting governments to strengthen national policies ahead of the rescheduled summit through a continent-wide clean cooking strategy and action plan.

A key announcement was the launch of the Clean Cooking Security Programme, a new public-private initiative led by the IEA to improve the resilience of global clean cooking fuel supply chains. The programme follows disruptions to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) markets caused by shipping constraints through the Strait of Hormuz, which affected around 30% of globally traded LPG. The initiative will help countries strengthen domestic fuel security while promoting greater international cooperation.

The event also marked the inaugural plenary meeting of the newly restructured Clean Cooking Alliance, now hosted by the IEA. Twelve countries have joined the alliance, which aims to support governments in translating financial commitments into measurable improvements in household energy access.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said more than one-third of the funding pledged in 2024 has already been disbursed, with a further $900 million now committed and additional pledges expected before the summit reconvenes. He said the organisation would continue working with governments, industry and development partners to convert commitments into lasting improvements in clean cooking access across Africa.