Clean Energy and Efficient Stove used in Benue State, North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

About 65 percent of households in Nigeria rely on solid biomass fuels like fuelwood, charcoal, animal dung, grass, shrubs or agricultural residue to meet their cooking and heating needs. Most households use biomass and many people cook on open fires inside their homes and household members - especially women and children - are exposed to harmful levels of wood smoke (Bruce et al. 2000, 2015). Analysis of data from the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study (Lim et al. 2012) identified household air pollution (HAP) arising from the burning of solid biomass fuels as the second most common cause of death in eastern, central and western Sub-Saharan Africa and 70,000 deaths were reported in Nigeria. Despite the statistics, household choice of biomass and inefficient cooking devices continue to impact users health and the environment. The results from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) on Benue State indicate low level of improved cooking device use. The study identified the important role electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and biomass play in energy transition, and how cultural relations within the study areas impact cooking fuel and stove choices. The study suggests that efforts to scale up energy intervention in Benue State should consider support to energy infrastructure and the importance of promoters of clean fuel and efficient cooing devices to engaged end-user in their programs.