From Policy to Investment: Unlocking Finance for Clean Cooking at Scale

The second technical and policy dialogue, From Policy to Investment: Unlocking Finance for Clean Cooking at Scale, convened policymakers, technical experts, investors, and country representatives to explore how clean cooking can be scaled across Africa. The event focused on innovative financing approaches to accelerate the adoption of low carbon Tier 4+ clean cooking technologies, including electric cooking, biogas, and sustainable biofuels.
Organized as part of the Africa wide clean cooking agenda, the dialogue examined critical financing barriers such as high upfront costs, limited access to capital, and fragmented markets. Participants discussed solutions including blended finance, results based financing, and carbon markets as mechanisms to unlock investment and deliver greener, more affordable, and reliable clean cooking solutions at speed and scale.
The African Energy Commission (AfREC) participated as one of the partners and contributed to the panel session, reinforcing its commitment to advancing clean cooking as a continental priority. AfREC emphasized the importance of aligning financing strategies with policy frameworks, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that clean cooking solutions are integrated into Africa’s broader energy efficiency and sustainable development agenda.
Key outcomes included consensus on the need for stronger partnerships, innovative financial instruments, and coordinated action to close Africa’s clean cooking gap. The dialogue underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving the African Union’s Clean Cooking Programme, ensuring progress toward Agenda 2063 and SDG 7.