Tanzania has unveiled a TSh 9.4 billion initiative aimed at distributing 200,000 improved cookstoves to households across the country, in a major effort to reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal, while easing health and economic burdens on women.
The clean energy programme implemented by the Rural Energy Agency (REA) will see each stove sold at a heavily subsidised price, with the government covering between 80 to 85 percent of the total cost.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative in Morogoro on August 4, 2025, REA regional representative Eng. Cecilia Msangi said the project forms part of the government’s broader National Strategy for Clean Cooking Energy, which aims to ensure that 80 percent of Tanzanians use clean cooking solutions by 2034.
“This is more than just a project it is a commitment to transforming the way Tanzanians cook, and to protecting women and the environment from the adverse effects of smoke from firewood,” said Eng. Msangi.
The distribution will begin in Morogoro Region, where 8,366 cookstoves will be offered to households at a subsidised price of TSh 14,694 per unit, down from the retail price of TSh 73,468.36.
Eng. Msangi attributed the initiative’s momentum to the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whom she described as a driving force behind the national campaign for clean and safe cooking energy.
“President Samia has been at the forefront of this campaign, and it is through her vision and directives that this milestone is being realised,” Msangi told stakeholders during the official introduction of the project and service provider for Morogoro Region Burn Manufacturing Tanzania Ltd.
REA has contracted Burn Manufacturing to supply a total of 39,286 improved stoves across four regions Morogoro, Ruvuma, Kagera, and Tabora under a contract worth over TSh 2.3 billion.
In Morogoro, the stoves will be distributed across seven districts: Gairo, Kilombero, Kilosa, Malinyi, Morogoro Rural, Ulanga, and Mvomero, with each district set to receive 1,196 stoves, according to Burn’s regional representative Mr John Mtui.
The improved stoves, which are more fuel-efficient and heat-retentive, are expected to significantly cut down on charcoal usage and reduce indoor air pollution both key health and economic issues facing low-income households.
Morogoro Regional Administrative Secretary Mussa Mussa applauded the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that will reduce the financial and health burdens on women.
“These stoves are designed to use minimal charcoal and retain heat longer. That not only reduces cooking costs but also saves time especially for women who often bear the brunt of household cooking,” he said.
The clean cooking initiative aligns with Tanzania’s broader environmental and public health goals, and complements ongoing awareness efforts to shift communities away from traditional fuels that pose risks to both people and nature.
REA, under its mandate, continues to expand access to clean and affordable energy solutions helping to build a resilient, inclusive, and climate-conscious future for Tanzania.