Promoting Improved Cooking Practices in Nigeria

The project activity involves replacement of existing in-efficient cookstoves being used by majority of Nigerian population with highly efficient Toyola Cookstoves. Over 71% of Nigeria’s population, mainly poor people, cooks with solid fuel in inefficient traditional Cookstoves and open fires resulting in serious indoor air pollution. Due to this, Nigeria records the highest number of indoor air pollution related deaths, averaging 64,000 annually, especially among women and children in poor families (Source: Clean Cooking Alliance). This is why Toyola Cookstoves are primarily targeted at the majority, the poor part of the population. From the initial concept, women have been the driving force of this project. The problems of rudimentary stoves affect women disproportionately as they carry out the greater part of cooking and child-rearing activities, which centre around the kitchen and the hearth. By enlisting the help of female Community Agents, women have been empowered with new information, new skills and ownership of a new asset. The stove is made available to both men and women equally.