IEA: LPG crisis threatens Africa’s clean cooking progress

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a stark warning: a crisis in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices, triggered by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, is jeopardizing Africa's efforts to expand clean cooking access.

Sharply higher LPG prices are pushing the fuel beyond the reach of numerous households across the continent. This economic barrier risks reversing progress and forcing people back to traditional, polluting cooking methods like wood and charcoal. The IEA highlights that nearly two billion people globally still rely on these harmful fuels, which are linked to an estimated 2.5 million premature deaths annually due to household air pollution.

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In Africa, physical supplies largely remained available, but sharply higher prices put LPG beyond the reach of many households, especially in markets without state-set fuel pricing like Nigeria and Uganda.

Africa is home to half of the global population lacking access to clean cooking. While the continent has accelerated its progress in recent years, population growth continues to outpace these advancements. In 2024, about 23% of sub-Saharan Africans had access to clean cooking, a modest increase from the previous year, with nearly 12 million gaining access. However, the number of people without clean cooking solutions remains alarmingly high.

The IEA specifically notes that in markets without state-set fuel pricing, such as Nigeria and Uganda, the price surge is particularly acute. For Nigeria, where LPG has become a vital alternative to firewood and kerosene, sustained price increases could compel low-income households to revert to more polluting fuels. The agency points out that about 30% of global seaborne LPG trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making billions vulnerable to supply disruptions and price volatility. Many nations lack sufficient domestic reserves to mitigate such shocks, with fewer than 35 emerging and developing economies possessing more than 30 days of LPG storage capacity.

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Nearly two billion people still cook using wood, charcoal and other fuels that produce harmful smoke, with dire implications for health, development, and the environment.