"Wood is the dominant fuel for the poor majority. Burning wood inefficiently creates serious health and environmental problems. Recent estimates by the World Health Organization show that about 79,000 deaths occur annually from indoor air pollution caused by burning wood inefficiently. The deforestation rate in Nigeria is estimated to be above 3% per year. Fuel-efficient cookstoves save up to 85% of wood fuel, compared to traditional three-stone cook stoves, they cook at least 45 minutes faster, and the quality of air inside the kitchen is greatly improved."
ICEED further says, "Exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves causes 79,000 premature deaths annually in Nigeria. Traditional cookstoves also increase pressure on scarce natural resources and are expensive to fuel. International Centre for Energy Environment and Development (ICEED), with support from GTZ and the Swiss Embassy, is responding to this problem by introducing clean institutional cookstoves to Nigeria. Ewah Eleri, Executive Director of ICEED said, “Clean cookstoves help schools to save money on wood fuel, improve health for cooks and contribute to a reduction in deforestation and we hope that the Niger State Government will install them in all Government School kitchens”.
"Clean cooking stoves help schools to save money on wood fuel, improve health for cooks and contribute to a reduction in deforestation and we hope that the Niger State government will install them in all government school kitchens," according to statement by Public Relations Officer of the center, Mr Michael Donovan, reported in allAfrica.
His Excellency Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu has welcomed the initiative and the Niger State Government Girls Secondary School in Bida unveiled the first institutional clean cookstove in Nigeria.
