Prominent medical professionals in Nigeria have expressed concerns about the significant health risks linked to traditional cooking methods, as only one in ten households in the country utilizes clean energy sources for cooking.
They pointed out that the limited use of cleaner fuels like gas, electricity, or solar is leading to widespread respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
According to findings from NAIJATRAFFIC, the doctors highlighted that exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons commonly present in firewood and other harmful fuels could result in an increase in lung cancer cases.
Recently, Environment Minister Balarabe Lawal announced that merely 10% of households in Nigeria use clean cooking energy and technology.
The minister lamented that traditional cooking methods relying on firewood and other polluting fuels such as kerosene and charcoal are taking lives, contributing to deforestation, worsening climate change, and placing a heavy burden on women.
As many Nigerians continue to depend on firewood and charcoal amid rising cooking gas prices, public health experts underscored the urgent need to enhance access to and adoption of clean cooking technologies to mitigate ongoing health issues and environmental degradation.
The physicians recommended a shift towards clean energy sources like gas, electricity, and solar cookers, as these can significantly decrease indoor air pollution and its associated health risks.
Emphasizing that women and children are particularly vulnerable due to increased exposure to indoor air pollution, the experts called on the government to enact policies that ensure clean cooking energy is accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
They also proposed alternatives such as smokeless stoves fueled by coal, charcoal, or sawdust, which can help reduce cooking time and lower air pollution risks.
Professor Tanimola Akande, a public health professor at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State, warned that relying on non-clean energy sources poses considerable health threats to individuals and communities.
“These energy sources release harmful pollutants, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,” he cautioned.
Akande pointed out that prolonged exposure to these pollutants can result in lung cancer, eye irritation, and other health issues.
The former National Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria advocated for a transition to cleaner energy sources like gas, electricity, and solar cookers, which could greatly reduce indoor air pollution and related health hazards.
However, he acknowledged that affordability and access are significant obstacles to widespread adoption.
He insisted that the government must demonstrate strong political will to make clean cooking energy available and affordable for all Nigerians.
Akande mentioned that public awareness campaigns could help inform the public about the dangers associated with non-clean energy sources.
He also noted that using non-clean energy contributes significantly to deforestation, which poses severe environmental challenges, and urged the government to adopt policies that encourage sustainable forest management and reforestation efforts.
He emphasized the urgent need for action to tackle the health risks posed by non-clean cooking energy sources while promoting a transition to cleaner and healthier alternatives.
“Children are also susceptible to respiratory diseases from the particulate matter and carbon monoxide from such cooking methods. This when inhaled can predispose children to developing pneumonia and asthmatic attacks.
“Women are usually more exposed to this hazard because they do more of the cooking. The situation is worsened because of poor ventilation in the cooking areas. For pregnant women, it can increase the risk of delivering babies with low birth weight and preterm babies.
“Change to clean energy sources of cooking will reduce the risk and exposure to smoke experienced with the non-clean energy sources. This will, therefore, reduce the occurrence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases attributable to smoke generated from cooking with non-clean energy sources. Eye irritation will also be reduced with the use of clean-energy cooking methods.
“Clean energy cooking methods like the use of electricity, gas, and solar cookers, among others, generate little or no smoke with pollutants and carbon monoxide. It reduces indoor pollution significantly. Cooking accidents are more common with non-clean energy methods of cooking.
“The alternatives to non-clean energy cooking are cooking with gas, solar, and electricity cookers. Unfortunately, the current economic realities of Nigeria do not make this easily affordable to poor Nigerians. The price of gas has been on the increase recently. This is in addition to the high electricity tariff in Nigeria.
“A large number of people are not using clean gas because they are not affordable to them. There is also poor penetration of sales of gas in rural areas and therefore rural people have low access to them. There is also the perceived fear of accidental hazards in using gas by people.
“Government must show strong political will to make clean energy cooking accessible to Nigerians by making them affordable and provision of such cooking materials available at subsidised price.”
Professor Best Ordinioha of the University of Port Harcourt emphasized the risks of cooking with firewood, likening it to smoking a pack of cigarettes per hour.
He noted that women, who do most of the cooking, are more prone to respiratory diseases, while children are at risk of pneumonia and asthma due to their faster breathing rate and exposure to indoor pollution.
Ordinioha advocated for clean energy methods like gas, electricity, and smokeless stoves, which reduce pollution risks.
While acknowledging the high costs and limited availability in rural areas, he stressed the need for nationwide surveys, monitoring, and a multidisciplinary approach to promote healthier alternatives, urging healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to work together to address the issue.
He stated, “Significant reduction of indoor air pollution, resulting in better respiratory health.
“Cleaner fuel produces fire of higher temperature, blue and white fire, unlike the yellow fire of dirty fuel. Electricity is the cleanest, but very expensive at this time of prepaid meter
“Cooking gas is the best alternative, considering its abundance in the country. Smokeless stoves, using coal, charcoal and even sawdust are better, because most of the heat generated gets into the pot, reducing cooking time and risk of air pollution.”
Dr. Solomon Olorunfemi, a senior registrar at the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta, emphasized the severe health risks associated with non-clean energy sources, including respiratory problems like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and pneumonia.
He noted that women who use these sources are two to three times more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, while children under five are at increased risk of acute lower respiratory infections and pneumonia due to indoor air pollution.
Olorunfemi highlighted the benefits of clean energy cooking methods, including reduced exposure to harmful pollutants, improved home air quality, and enhanced family health, as well as environmental benefits like reduced forest degradation and global warming.
However, he acknowledged that poverty, lack of awareness, and reluctance to change hinder the adoption of clean energy methods.
To address this, Olorunfemi suggested creating a database on clean gas usage, monitoring air pollution, and tracking fossil fuel consumption.
He also stressed the need for public awareness campaigns, collaboration between community leaders and healthcare professionals, and a collective effort to promote a transition to cleaner, healthier alternatives.
