98,000 Nigerian Women Die Annually Due to Use of Firewood and Charcoal

Emmanuel Uwandu, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Gas 360, brought attention to a grave issue on Friday, revealing that over 98,000 Nigerian women succumb to death annually due to the use of firewood and charcoal.

Uwandu emphasized that within the Niger Delta alone, approximately 21,000 women face the dire consequences of such usage yearly.

During his keynote presentation at the 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquified Petroleum Gas Depot Project ceremony, hosted by Windek Energy Limited in Atabrikang Aquaha, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Uwandu underscored that cooking with firewood and charcoal poses health risks equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes per day, highlighting the daily struggle endured by Nigerian women.

He urged for greater attention to be directed towards combating the lethal effects of using “dirty” fuel, lamenting that while diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS receive significant focus, the perilous impact of cooking with unclean fuel is often overlooked.

Uwandu called upon Nigerian authorities at both national and sub-national levels to seize global opportunities for clean cooking initiatives, stressing the urgent need for comprehensive action plans and government support to transition communities from dirty fuel to clean cooking alternatives.

Echoing Uwandu’s concerns, Nosa Igiehon Okunbo, the Managing Director of Windek Energy Limited, affirmed the company’s commitment to spearheading a movement towards cleaner energy usage nationwide, with a primary goal of preventing deaths resulting from traditional cooking methods.

In a brief address, Minister of State for Petroleum, Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended Windek Energy’s dedication to the project, hailing it as a pivotal step in Nigeria’s quest for energy security and economic prosperity.

Representing the state Governor, Umo Eno, Senator Akon Ayakenyi expressed jubilation over the project’s establishment, emphasizing its significance in bolstering energy capacity and fostering growth within Akwa Ibom State.

In 2019, the United Nations revealed that nearly 4 million individuals worldwide suffered premature deaths due to illnesses stemming from household air pollution, shedding light on the urgent need for clean cooking solutions.