To promote clean household energy and raise public awareness on the health impacts of air pollution, IHS Nigeria and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have commenced the distribution of smart cooking gas in the city.
The items are being given to underserved households in the nation’s capital city under the Breathe Clean Air Abuja Campaign.
IHS Nigeria said this initiative aligns with its broader sustainability agenda especially the ‘our people and community’ and ‘environment and climate change’ pillars, particularly its focus on adopting cleaner energy across its operations and improving environmental health outcomes in host communities.
IHS Towers, the Holding company has set a target to reduce its kilowatt-hour emissions intensity by approximately 50 per cent by 2030.
At the unveiling of the programme in Abuja, IHS Nigeria announced a six-month LPG refill support for all beneficiaries of the gas cylinders.
“When you think about how much smoke our mothers and sisters inhale while cooking every day, you immediately understand why this project matters.
“If we can help thousands of families breathe cleaner air, we should all be proud to be part of it,” the chief executive of IHS Nigeria, Mr Mohamad Darwish, stated.
In her remarks, the Mandate Secretary of FCT-HSES, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, highlighted the growing impact of both indoor and outdoor air pollution on the health outcome of households, particularly women and children.
She cautioned that prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood and charcoal continues to contribute to respiratory illnesses, including lung cancer and other health conditions.
Dr Fasawe described the programme as the start of a multi-phase effort to promote cleaner energy alternatives across the FCT. She also unveiled the Sustainability Champions Initiative, a youth-focused platform that will drive advocacy and environmental education in schools and communities.