Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba has praised the Rural Energy Agency (REA) for its growing role in expanding access to clean cooking energy across rural Tanzania, describing the initiative as critical to improving public health, protecting the environment and enhancing livelihoods.
Makamba made the remarks on Thursday while officially closing the Energy Expo and Clean Energy Conference 2026, held at the East Africa Commercial and Logistics Centre (EACLC) in Dar es Salaam.
During a tour of the REA exhibition stand, the deputy minister commended the agency for intensifying efforts to promote clean cooking technologies and raise awareness among communities, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas where dependence on traditional fuels remains high.
“REA is doing commendable work in improving access to clean cooking energy. I encourage Tanzanians to adopt modern clean energy technologies to safeguard their health, protect the environment and improve their quality of life,” she said.
Her remarks come as Tanzania accelerates implementation of the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy, which seeks to reduce reliance on biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal while expanding access to cleaner and more sustainable alternatives.
Makamba said the government would continue investing in the clean cooking agenda and strengthening partnerships with public and private stakeholders to ensure national targets are achieved.
At the exhibition, REA officials outlined several programmes currently being implemented to support the transition to cleaner cooking solutions.
REA Projects Engineer Francis Manyama said the agency had used the expo to educate the public on the benefits of clean cooking energy while showcasing a range of technologies, including improved cookstoves, electric cooking appliances and alternative biomass solutions.
He said the exhibition attracted a broad spectrum of visitors, including food vendors, civil society organisations, private sector representatives, teachers and community members, who received practical demonstrations and information on available clean cooking options.
Manyama revealed that REA is implementing a nationwide programme to distribute 200,000 improved cookstoves across all 25 regions of mainland Tanzania.
The agency is also facilitating the distribution of 3,255 six-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in every district to improve access to cleaner cooking fuels.
He further noted that REA is promoting the adoption of clean cooking technologies in institutions serving more than 100 people daily, including schools, training centres and other public facilities. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the National Service (JKT) and the Tanzania Prisons Service.
In another initiative, REA, working with the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), has supported the distribution of natural gas for cooking to households in Lindi and Coast regions, where access to the resource is readily available.
The agency is also partnering with the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO) to establish an alternative charcoal production facility in Geita Region, a project aimed at increasing the availability of sustainable cooking fuel while reducing pressure on forests.
The Energy Expo and Conference 2026 brought together policymakers, development partners, energy experts and private sector players to showcase innovations and discuss strategies for expanding access to sustainable energy and accelerating the adoption of clean cooking technologies across the country.
