The Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Infrastructure, has partnered with Saudi Arabia for a clean cooking initiative that aims to deliver Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) kits to 50,000 households. The project seeks to curb the use of wood fuels, improve health, and advance Rwanda’s climate resilience goals. ALSO READ: Inside major projects set to reduce reliance on wood fuel in Rwanda The partnership, announced on Wednesday, October 29, brings together the Ministry of Infrastructure and Forward7, an entity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a pilot project that will make LPG cooking solutions more affordable and accessible to low-income families. The initiative, implemented by Bboxx, a Rwandan company, will distribute LPG kits over 18 months across the districts of Musanze, Muhanga, Rwamagana, Huye, as well as Kigali City. ALSO READ: How Rwanda reduced 600,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in Amayaga region The LPG kits will include a two-burner stove, a 12-kilogram gas cylinder, and a smart valve with a pay-as-you-go option, designed to make the transition to clean cooking affordable and convenient. The project began in Kigali earlier in February and has since expanded to Rwamagana and Musanze, with plans to cover all targeted districts next year. So far, more than 6,000 households have gained access to the LPG kits. ALSO READ: Rwanda targets firewood-free cooking in schools by 2032 According to the Ministry, Rwanda’s national energy balance shows that biomass, mainly wood fuel, still accounts for the majority of the country’s total energy consumption. The new initiative aims to challenge that reality. “This partnership aims to reduce dependence on biomass by providing access to modern, cleaner cooking solutions,” the Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “The project will also mitigate indoor air pollution, improve health outcomes, and support the economic development of low-income households. The initiative makes LPG kits affordable for low-income households, removing barriers that often prevent them from switching to clean cooking.” The project targets households that have not yet received clean cooking subsidies, officials said. ALSO READ: Here’s what you should do to ensure a healthy cooking environment Beyond improving daily living conditions, the initiative is designed to generate carbon credits, which will be reinvested to expand future clean cooking projects. “Proceeds from these credits will be reinvested into expanding future clean cooking initiatives, strengthening Rwanda's long-term commitment to a carbon-neutral and climate-resilient future,” the Ministry said. About 5 per cent of Rwandan households used clean cooking energy in 2024, up from 1 per cent in 2017, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. In urban areas, the number rose from 5 to 17 per cent over the same period. In rural areas, households using clean cooking fuels rose from 0.2 per cent to 1 per cent.
