In a move to combat air pollution, deforestation and energy poverty, the Lagos State Government has commenced the distribution of free clean cookstoves under the 80 Million Clean Cookstoves Project..

The scheme, flagged off in the Makoko district of Lagos recently, aims to distribute eight million highly efficient wood stoves in the state at no cost, while delivering carbon credit revenues exceeding $1bn over 15 years through the planned Lagos Carbon Exchange.

Speaking during the launch in Makoko, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Mrs Titilayo Oshodi, said the deployment of the stoves, starting with the riverine community, symbolised a bold shift towards sustainable cooking practices in Lagos.

“The good people of Makoko are honoured and privileged because among the 8 million designated for Lagos, Makoko stands to be the very first to taste this new trajectory of clean energy that addresses health hazards.

“This is more than a demonstration — we are unveiling a treasure that cooks faster, cleaner and safer. One that saves lives, one that saves the planet, and this is just the beginning,” she said.

Oshodi noted that the live demonstration, timed to mark Sanwo-Olu’s 60th birthday, would usher in the distribution of stoves to all 57 local governments and LCDAs across Lagos from June 30.

According to a statement on Tuesday, the cookstoves would be deployed at no cost to women and households in Nigeria with the co-benefit of innovative tree planting and nurturing to eliminate or reduce poverty, hunger, and diseases.

The target population is primarily rural areas, semi-urban areas and urban households where fuelwood is the dominant or alternative energy source.

Sharing insights on why the Lagos state government aligns with the 80 million Clean Cookstoves Project, Oshodi said the project, which is in partnership with Green Plinth Africa, would give carbon credit to the government that would translate into funds for other laudable projects beneficial to the people of the state.

She urged partners, stakeholders and community leaders to join hands with the government to reduce air pollution and push for real progress for better health, smarter cooking and the elevation of the lives of people in Makoko and across Lagos.

Oshodi said it was a privilege for Makoko residents to be the first among the rest.

“The hardworking families of Makoko and the millions of Lagosians deserve safer, healthier homes and a greener environment. The governor said, ’Let us begin the journey towards cooking today.’ And here we are taking the first bold step right here in Makoko, where change begins.

“Today, we are not just showing you cookstoves, we are unveiling a treasure, one that cooks faster, cleaner and safer. One that saves lives, one that saves the planet, and this is just the beginning,” she explained.

She noted that the distribution started on June 30 in Makoko, from where it would get to eight million people in Lagos.

“We are making history. So, I urge all of us, stakeholders, partners, and our dear community leaders. This is not just about clean cooking, this is about dignity, development and the future. Let’s light the fire, not just in our stoves, but in our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos.

“This is an 80-million cookstove distribution project that we have created a lot of awareness about, which started in May last year, 80 million across Nigeria. However, eight million is already designed to be distributed across the 57 Local Governments and LCDAs.

“The plan is that we are starting from 8 million. It does not stop there. That’s not the end of the journey. As we continue to distribute, the proceeds that come from the usage of these clean cookstoves is going to give us the returns of the investment, because these clean cookstoves are giving out free to Lagosians, at no cost, but there is investment that is going to be returning on the usage of the clean cookstoves.

“So, if those stoves are being used, we get carbon credit that would translate into funds that we are going to use to purchase some more, and we can also develop other infrastructural programmes that would be beneficial to the community,” she added.

It was said that the Lagos State Government was actively pursuing the development of a carbon credit market, with plans to establish Africa’s first subnational carbon exchange, the Lagos Carbon Exchange.

This initiative, it was learnt, aims to generate over $1bn in revenue over 15 years through the trading of 1.2 million certified carbon credits. The LCX is projected to generate over $1bn in revenue within 15 years through the trading of carbon credits, which would be reinvested in infrastructure, social programmes, and green projects.

This project involves deploying 80 million improved cookstoves, which would generate carbon credits that could be traded on the LCX. “The Lagos state government is collaborating with GreenPlinth Africa, a climate-focused development partner, to implement the ’80 Million Credit Float Project’, the statement read.

The Chief Transformation Officer of Green Plinth Africa, Dr Adebola Odunsi, said his organisation, in collaboration with Lagos State, was working with already populated social registers with databases and properly managed and captured the relevant households to guide the intervention.

Odunsi urged the beneficiaries of the cookstoves to maintain them, not just to mitigate the hazardous effects of the traditional way of cooking, saying the stoves are there to take care of their health.

“The stoves would last for 30 years, and so we see this as a very long intervention, to change the economic trajectory of the households, which will give a general improvement to the economy of the state and the economy of the country as a whole,” Odunsi stated.

The Technical Coordinator of the 80 million Cookstoves Project, Yahaya Mohammed, said the project started in Makoko because of the large number of indigent citizens residing in the community.

He said the initiative was to replace the traditional ways of cooking that endanger people’s lives, with modern green cookstoves, using briskets made from agricultural wastes such as sawdust, rice dust, among others, to have cleaner and healthier cooking.

Mohammed emphasised that the project would be registered with the United Nations, which will, in return, pay per tonne of carbon dioxide that is saved, noting that selling the cookstoves to the indigent citizens would further reinforce their burdens.

He revealed that Green Plinth will site at least three brisket-making factories in each state of Nigeria to make the briskets available for people who need them at no cost, which, according to him, would create more jobs for many Nigerians

Also speaking, Salvador Oluwatobiloba, who represented the General Manager of Lagos State Parks and Gardens, Mrs Adetoun Popoola, saluted the governor of Lagos State and the office of the Special Assistant on Climate Change and Circular Economy for the initiative.

The Baale of Adigbon in Makoko, Chief Victor Panke, said the initiative was indeed commendable.

“The first time the government representatives came and said they were bringing the cookstoves, we never believed it would happen, because there are a lot of promises the government had promised us in the past that never saw the light of day. And for this one to be a reality, we are so excited. The whole Makoko community appreciates our governor for the great initiative.

“Our women go through a lot to prepare meals for their families. The smoke affects their eyes, causes asthma, and we thought that’s how we would continue until the Government of Lagos State, under the leadership of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, brought a ray of hope to our community. Now, our women will be cooking faster and neater, and we will also live healthier,” the Baale said.

Mrs Biodun Wusa, whose kitchen hosted the demonstration, said, “There was no smoke or stress. The food tasted better and sweeter. We thank Governor Sanwo-Olu and Mrs Oshodi.”

Another resident, Dele Aladetan, said the project would not only improve health but also empower youth through training in biofuel production. “This is one of the best things to come to Makoko,” he said.

Uchechukwu Igweonyia Omolewa, Head of Sales and Marketing at LASHMA, said the initiative supports the broader goal of universal health coverage, adding, “Healthy cooking leads to healthy living.”