Arinze Nwafor
The Benue State Government has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Greenplinth Africa to deploy two million clean cookstoves across the state to advance climate action and reduce dependence on firewood.
Stakeholders described the agreement, signed with the Benue State Council on Climate Change during the Green Conference in Lagos, as a signal of a shift from dialogue to practical implementation in Nigeria’s sub-national climate action efforts.
The three-day conference, themed ‘Decarbonisation Africa: Pathway to Climate Finance, Sustainable Growth and Green Economy’, attracted stakeholders and players in the green economy.A
Director-General of the Benue State Council on Climate Change, Dr Daniel Mailumo, described the partnership as a strategic intervention aimed at cutting emissions, improving livelihoods and supporting the state’s net-zero ambitions.
Mailumo said, “The deployment of clean cookstoves to Benue means rural women will no longer rely on firewood but on low-emission alternatives. This will help us protect our environment as we drive towards net-zero emissions.”
According to the organisers, the agreement makes Benue the first sub-national government in Nigeria to embark on such a large-scale clean cookstove initiative aimed at promoting a green economy while supporting household prosperity.
Deputy Managing Director and Chief Finance Officer of Greenplinth Africa, Babatunde Aina, explained that a memorandum of agreement represents a stronger commitment than a memorandum of understanding.
Aina said, “Agreement means we are going to do it,” adding that Benue would be among the first states to benefit from carbon credit initiatives linked to the clean cookstove project.
He explained that the project would deliver significant socio-economic benefits alongside environmental gains.
Aina noted that each beneficiary household will receive two clean cookstoves, stainless steel pots and 40 kilograms of farm waste briquettes produced from agricultural residues such as rice husks.
He added that beneficiaries would also receive monthly financial incentives and health insurance coverage for their families.
He noted that the initiative would convert agricultural waste into economic value while addressing deforestation, indoor air pollution and rural poverty.
Aina said women and girls, who often face health risks and security threats while gathering firewood, would benefit the most from the programme.
“We want to ensure the girl-child has more time to study and mothers are protected from respiratory ailments caused by smoke inhalation,” Aina remarked.
A member of Greenplinth Africa’s management team, Salisu Dahiru, said the conference builds on engagements from the previous year and provides updates on efforts to distribute 80 million cookstoves and implement large-scale tree-planting programmes to generate carbon credits.
Dahiru commended Nigeria’s climate governance framework, noting that the country is among the few nations with a dedicated Climate Change Act that provides legal backing for emissions reduction and accountability across federal, state and local governments.
He noted that implementation remains complex due to Nigeria’s size and multi-tier governance structure, stressing that partnerships between state governments and credible private-sector organisations are helping accelerate climate action.
Stakeholders at the conference expressed optimism that the Benue model could serve as a template for scaling climate finance and green economy initiatives nationwide as more states prepare to sign similar agreements.
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