Nigeria is one of the richest oil-producing nations in the world, yet millions of its citizens cook with firewood. Some rely on firewood for family meals, while others use it to serve their customers. As a local food vendor, Chinyere Onuigbo falls under the latter.
For over twenty years as a food vendor in Abuja, she had cooked this way: firewood stacked high, flames licking the bottom of her aluminum pots, the scent of burning wood clinging to her clothes. It was how she made a living, selling food in the market, feeding customers.
But lately, something felt different. The coughing had started months ago, first as a dry tickle, then a deep, chest-rattling ache that wouldn’t go away. At night, it kept her awake. During the day, it left her breathless. She told EcoPivot she had thought about going to the hospital, but what if it was serious? What if she couldn’t afford the treatment?
Unfortunately, Chinyere isn’t alone. Air pollution is an invisible killer, seeping into homes, markets, and streets, contributing to respiratory infections, chronic disease, and premature death. Across Nigeria, millions of women rely on firewood and kerosene for cooking, unknowingly breathing in toxic fumes that slowly poison their lungs. For many, the smoke is just part of life, until it isn’t.
Household Air Pollution in Nigeria
Household air pollution (HAP) remains one of Nigeria’s most pervasive yet under-recognized public health crises. Over 90% of rural households and a significant portion of urban poor rely on firewood, charcoal, and kerosene for cooking, which causes the release of toxic pollutants like carbon monoxide, benzene, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) when burned in poorly ventilated spaces. Like Chinyere, Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe, National Coordinator for Non-Communicable Diseases at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, highlights that prolonged exposure “significantly increases risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and respiratory infections.” This exposure disproportionately affects women and children, who spend hours near cooking areas, inhaling smoke linked to severe health outcomes.
Health Impacts and Statistics
Nigeria records some of the highest air pollution-related mortality rates globally, with 198,000 premature deaths in 2019 attributed to polluted air, including 130,000 annual deaths from HAP alone. Children under five are particularly vulnerable, facing a 2–3 times higher risk of pneumonia—a leading cause of under-5 mortality, responsible for 40% of such deaths. Prolonged exposure to HAP is also strongly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and low birth weight. As Prof. Taibat Lawanson, Co-Director of the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, explains, “Women in informal sectors prioritize income generation over health, often avoiding hospitals until symptoms become critical”. For instance, women cooking with biomass fuels face twice the risk of lung cancer compared to those using clean energy. And despite Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves, energy poverty persists. Over 92% of rural households depend on solid fuels due to affordability and infrastructure gaps, while urban reliance on kerosene worsens the risks.
Why Women Still Rely on Firewood
Many Nigerian women still rely on firewood for cooking, not because they want to, but because they have no other choice. Clean energy options like gas or electric stoves are too expensive for low-income families. “I used to cook with gas for my house and then firewood for my business, but now, even refilling a small cylinder costs too much. With firewood, at least I know my children will eat. Some foods like beans take a lot of time to cook completely and consume a lot of gas, but on firewood, it’s faster and better,” says Chinenye. LPG prices have tripled in recent years, making it out of reach for many. Firewood, on the other hand, is free or cheap, keeping them stuck to traditional sources of energy.
Beyond cost, culture plays a role. Cooking over an open fire is a tradition passed down for generations. Chinenye confirms this: “My mother cooked this way, and so did my grandmother. There’s this togetherness we had and enjoyed while cooking. We never thought about the smoke; we just cooked. Some food tastes nice with the firewood too.”
Among the Gbagyi women of Central Nigeria, firewood collection is not just a necessity but a part of their identity. Additionally, many women have no say in household energy choices, as men often control financial decisions. In some cases, the choices are taken away from them entirely because of financial restrictions.
Even when women want to switch to cleaner options, access is another problem. In some areas, LPG suppliers are rare, and electricity is unreliable. Many rural communities lack the infrastructure to support clean energy, leaving firewood as the only available choice. Solar stoves and biogas solutions exist, but they are expensive and hard to find.
Limited political will, inadequate clean-energy subsidies, and cultural practices further hinder transitions to safer alternatives like LPG or solar. HAP’s health and environmental consequences—deforestation, climate change, and economic losses—are often overshadowed by Nigeria’s other challenges. While initiatives like the National Clean Cooking Scheme aim for 90% LPG adoption by 2030, progress remains slow. Experts stress urgent policy action, public awareness, and subsidies to mitigate this “silent killer” and protect future generations. Without serious investment in affordable alternatives, millions of Nigerian women will continue breathing in toxic smoke daily, risking their health just to cook a meal.