A cost-effective and sustainable substitute for cooking gas, Bioethanol, is gaining traction in Nigeria.

Soaring inflation, surpassing 27% in the past year, has rendered conventional cooking gas unaffordable for many households, as reported by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics.

Residents like Adeyemi find solace in bioethanol, allowing them to sidestep the high cost of approximately N1,000 per kilogram for gas. Priced just over $1 per liter, biofuel proves to be a more economical choice, offering users extended cooking capabilities.

Beyond its economic benefits, bioethanol gel provides a cleaner alternative in households where the health risks of wood smoke and other pollutants persist.

The gel emits fewer harmful substances compared to traditional fuels, addressing concerns about indoor air pollution, a significant contributor to the more than 93,000 annual deaths of women in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization.

“It doesn’t darken your pot when you are using it, you feel comfortable, you don’t even need to stress. Even the smell, the odour it brings out, you’ll love your cooking,” said 43-year-old Adeyemi.

The United Nations estimates that if bioethanol was used for cooking in every household in Nigeria, carbon dioxide emissions could be lowered by more than four million tonnes.