Tanzania has recorded a fourfold increase in the use of clean cooking energy in four years, with adoption rising from 6.9 per cent in 2021 to 28.6 per cent in 2025, as the Government steps up efforts to reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal.
Energy Minister Juma Homera credited the progress to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership, saying Tanzania had become a model for other African countries in advancing the clean cooking agenda.
Mr Homera made the remarks on November 11 while delivering the Ministry of Energy’s welcoming remarks to President Samia at a high-level meeting on Tanzania’s energy transition and the adoption of clean cooking energy in schools and health facilities.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
He said the progress reflected the implementation of the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy 2024–2034, which seeks to expand access to cleaner, safer and more sustainable cooking technologies.
Tanzania aims to have 80 per cent of its population using clean cooking energy by 2034, an ambitious target that will require wider access to affordable technologies, public awareness and increased investment.
However, the current adoption rate of 28.6 per cent means the country still has considerable ground to cover, particularly in reaching households that continue to depend on traditional cooking fuels.
To accelerate the transition, Mr Homera said the ministry was preparing an ambitious strategy to empower young people across the country to manufacture improved cooking stoves.
The initiative is expected to support the clean energy agenda while opening up opportunities for youth employment, entrepreneurship and local manufacturing.
He also called on the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), the Rural Energy Agency (REA) and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) to intensify public education and accelerate the distribution of improved and electric cooking stoves.
The minister's call highlights the importance of moving beyond policy commitments to ensure that clean cooking technologies reach households and public institutions, particularly schools and health facilities.
The high-level meeting brought together government leaders, development partners and international institutions to review progress, identify investment opportunities and strengthen cooperation in accelerating the adoption of clean cooking energy.
The discussions focused on Tanzania's energy transition and efforts to expand clean cooking solutions in public institutions, where reducing dependence on traditional fuels is also important for environmental protection and improved service delivery.