Clean Cooking Momentum Grows in Dar es Salaam

Tanzania's Clean Cooking Initiative Gains Momentum

Tanzania is making significant strides in its clean cooking agenda, with two major developments marking the progress. In Dodoma, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Doto Biteko highlighted the importance of clean energy use in markets, while in Dar es Salaam, ORYX Energies Tanzania launched a groundbreaking bulk LPG distribution system at the Ferry Fish Market.

The new system, developed in collaboration with the government and market stakeholders, uses prepaid technology similar to Tanesco’s Luku. This allows traders to pay only for the gas they consume, eliminating the need for large or small cylinders and reducing daily costs. The initiative aims to make clean cooking more accessible and efficient for those who serve large numbers of people.

Dr Biteko emphasized that the goal is not to transform livestock markets into restaurants but to encourage the use of clean cooking methods. He noted that Tanzania must lead the continent in this area, as President Samia Suluhu Hassan has championed the agenda at the African level. “Other countries come here to learn. When they see charcoal and firewood, they doubt our seriousness. That is why this market is now a demonstration site,” he said.

He clarified that introducing clean cooking at markets would not change their traditional character. “Markets will remain dusty and lively, but we want safe and clean stoves for meat roasting and food preparation,” he added. Dr Biteko also mentioned that prisons, schools, and colleges across Tanzania already use clean cooking, proving that the transition is possible.

He instructed the State Mining Corporation (Stamico) to ensure a steady supply of alternative charcoal for improved stoves and urged the Rural Energy Agency (REA) to make clean-energy stoves accessible quickly. Energy Permanent Secretary Felchesmi Mramba reported that the share of Tanzanians using clean cooking energy has risen from 6.9 percent in 2022 to 20.3 percent in 2025. He projected that the country could reach or exceed the 80 percent target by 2034.

Challenges and Successes

Despite the progress, REA Director-General Hassan Said admitted that persuading vendors to switch was challenging. “Ninety percent had little knowledge of clean cooking and 20 percent had never heard of it. We had to provide education before they agreed to change,” he said. Mathias Raphael, chairperson of meat roasters at Msalato, urged the government to guarantee a regular supply of alternative charcoal.

He said trials of the improved stoves had shown positive results, with meat cooking well without smoke, ash, or dirt, and retaining its flavor. Speaking during the Dar es Salaam event, Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila praised Oryx Energies’ initiative as transformative. “Today we are not only unveiling infrastructure, but also a real change in safety, efficiency and the well-being of every trader here,” he said.

Economic and Environmental Impact

The project, which cost over Sh250 million and was fully financed by ORYX, involves underground gas tanks connected to 48 stoves through a network of pipelines. Each stove has a prepaid meter and an emergency shut-off valve. According to Oryx Energies Tanzania Managing Director Araman Benoit, the system will save traders up to Sh45,000 per day compared to cylinder use. “This solution eliminates sudden shortages during operations and enables vendors to plan their budgets more efficiently,” he said.

The company emphasized that the new technology also improves environmental outcomes by reducing charcoal and firewood use and cutting down on trucks delivering cylinders to the market. Energy commissioner Innocent Luoga lauded ORYX for supporting the National Clean Cooking Energy Programme (2024–2034). “ORYX has set an example worth emulating. This system reduces health risks, lowers costs, and provides safer working conditions for food vendors,” he said.

ORYX’s Head of Large Gas Sales, Caroline Msokwa, explained that the idea followed research highlighting the high costs, inefficiencies, and safety risks of cylinders. “Each stove now has its meter, with one unit selling at Sh2,900. It works just like LUKU,” she said.

Health and Economic Considerations

Ilala MP Mussa Azzan Zungu highlighted the health risks of charcoal use, noting that a food vendor inhales smoke equivalent to 300 cigarettes a day. Ilala District Commissioner Edward Mpogolo stressed the project’s economic significance, pointing out that over 70 percent of fish sold in Dar es Salaam passes through the Ferry Market.

Dar es Salaam’s Assistant Regional Administrative Secretary for Economy and Production, Dr Elizabeth Mshote, said only three out of 10 residents currently use clean cooking energy. “Our vision is to ensure that by 2034, at least eight in 10 Dar residents adopt clean energy,” she said. The initiatives in both Dodoma and Dar es Salaam demonstrate a growing commitment to clean cooking, with the potential to transform lives and protect the environment.