Africa Pledges to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution, Save Lives

This summit, part of the larger "Mission 300" initiative led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, targets universal energy access for 300 million people across Africa by 2030.

The 12 countries; Chad, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Tanzania have outlined ambitious plans to achieve universal energy access and reduce reliance on traditional biomass for cooking.

Over 600 million people in Africa, representing more than half of the continent's population, lack reliable access to electricity. This energy poverty significantly impairs progress across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and economic development. The United Nations highlights that this issue is especially severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 80% of the world's population without electricity resides.

Nearly 800 million Africans depend on traditional biomass sources, such as wood, charcoal, and animal dung, for cooking. This reliance contributes to environmental degradation, deforestation, and serious health risks. The persistent use of biomass fuels leads to household air pollution, resulting in over 700,000 premature deaths each year across the continent. Children under five are mostly affected, facing a heightened risk of respiratory diseases like pneumonia.

Nigeria has the largest energy access deficit in the world with 160 million people lacking clean cooking solutions. The country aims to achieve universal energy access by 2030 and is targeting a 25% annual increase in clean cooking solutions to benefit 227 million people by that year. The Nigerian Energy Compact prioritizes women and marginalized communities who are burdened in traditional fuel collection and exposure to health hazards.

Tanzania aims to achieve 75% electricity connectivity and ensure that 80% of its population adopts clean cooking solutions by 2034. 

There is a strong link between high carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the increased incidence of respiratory diseases. Research consistently demonstrates that carbon emissions from energy consumption contributes to illnesses such as acute respiratory infections, chronic lung diseases, and cardiovascular conditions. 

The International Energy Agency reports that over 90% of carbon emissions stem from fossil fuel combustion, posing a challenge for Africa, where healthcare systems struggle to manage pollution-related health crises. Experts caution that without intervention, mortality rates from air pollution-related illnesses will continue to escalate, placing additional strain on healthcare systems throughout the continent.

Expanding renewable energy infrastructure to achieve universal energy access in Africa will require massive investments and policy reforms. Governments must navigate a complex array of challenges to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.

Solar, wind, and hydropower hold immense potential for clean, affordable energy across Africa but are faced with financial and technological barriers. Providing electricity to 300 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 will require efforts from governments but most importantly from private sector players.

But first, Africa must fast-track policy reforms. Governments need to create enabling environments for public-private partnerships that encourage the development of renewable energy projects. These reforms must balance affordability and accessibility of clean cooking solutions while ensuring that the expansion of renewable energy is sustainable.

For instance, the introduction of solar-powered refrigerators for storing vaccines and other medical supplies has already demonstrated how clean energy solutions can serve multiple sectors beyond just household energy needs. Scaling up such innovations could greatly improve energy security while reducing the health impacts of biomass use.