By Faith Adama
The African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) has called for the increase in the adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a cleaner, safer alternative for cooking across Africa, aiming to mitigate the region’s deepening clean energy crisis.
During the 2024 ARDA LPG Forum, Dr. Mustafa Abdul-Hamid, President of ARDA and CEO of Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA), emphasized the critical need for LPG to replace traditional biomass fuels, such as wood and charcoal, still heavily relied upon by millions of Africans. He warned that the global effort to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7)—which focuses on providing affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all—is progressing too slowly, with Africa facing the steepest challenges.
“Africa lags far behind in access to clean cooking solutions,” said Dr. Abdul-Hamid, “and without immediate action, the consequences on health, the environment, and socio-economic development will be dire.”
According to ARDA, nearly 900 million Africans still lack access to clean cooking technologies, leading to serious public health risks. The heavy use of biomass fuels contributes to respiratory diseases, which claim the lives of an estimated 500,000 Africans annually due to indoor air pollution. Beyond the human cost, deforestation driven by the need for firewood is accelerating environmental degradation across the continent. Shifting to LPG would significantly reduce carbon emissions, protect ecosystems, and contribute to global climate action.
ARDA is urging African governments and international stakeholders to work together to accelerate LPG infrastructure development and create policies that support the transition to cleaner energy sources. Partnerships between the public and private sectors, ARDA believes, are key to expanding access to LPG, reducing costs, and making clean energy more affordable for low-income households.
“LPG is a proven solution to one of the biggest energy challenges we face,” Dr. Abdul-Hamid stated. “We cannot afford to wait—this is a crisis, and we need all hands on deck to solve it.”
While LPG adoption is rising in some African countries, significant barriers remain, including high initial setup costs, supply chain limitations, and the need for more widespread awareness about the benefits of LPG. Nevertheless, ARDA sees the growing demand for clean cooking solutions as an opportunity for new investments and innovation in energy access across the continent.
