An industry expert, Emmanuel Uwandu, has revealed that an estimated 98,000 Nigerian women die annually due to the usage of charcoal and firewood for cooking.
Speaking at an event on Friday, Uwandu said that the figures are particularly grim in the Niger Delta region, where about 21,000 deaths are recorded each year.
“Cooking with firewood and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes daily,” Uwandu explained.
According to Punch, the expert compared the severe health risks faced by these women to those experienced by heavy smokers, underscoring a significant yet largely overlooked public health crisis.
Naija News reports that Uwandu noted that in the Niger Delta alone, the death toll from such cooking practices translates to about 2,700 women per local government annually.
For Akwa Ibom State, which comprises 31 local governments, approximately 75 women die each year in each local government area from these causes.
Despite the high mortality rates associated with ‘dirty’ cooking fuels, Uwandu lamented the lack of attention this issue receives compared to diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS.
“While globally significant funds are allocated to fight malaria and HIV, with 4.6 billion dollars directed towards these diseases in Nigeria, less than 200 million dollars are invested in promoting clean cooking solutions,” he stated.
The expert called on Nigerian national and subnational governments to prioritize and facilitate the transition to clean cooking methods.
He urged the development and implementation of clear action plans that would support this transition, emphasizing the need to engage with global opportunities and funding dedicated to promoting clean cooking technologies and practices.
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