Clean Cooking Transition in Rwanda Requires Financial and Mindset Shift, Experts Say
KIGALI, Rwanda — September 3, 2026 — Rwanda’s transition to clean cooking will require not only affordable technologies but also a significant shift in public attitudes and greater awareness of the economic benefits, experts said during an online webinar on Thursday.
The discussion, titled “Clean Cooking for a Healthier and Greener Rwanda: From Awareness to Action,” was organized by the Rwanda Environmental Journalists (REJ) and moderated by journalist Dickson Gahima.
The webinar brought together Energy Private Developers (EPD) CEO Serge Muhizi and Director of Operations Emmanuel Ndagijimana, who examined some of the key barriers preventing households from moving away from traditional cooking fuels, including cost, misconceptions and limited awareness.
Challenging misconceptions about clean cooking
One of the issues raised during the discussion was the belief that modern cooking technologies cannot adequately prepare traditional foods such as beans, which often require longer cooking times.
Ndagijimana said technologies using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity and fuel pellets can cook beans and other commonly prepared meals.
He argued that the challenge is largely linked to perceptions about fuel consumption and the cost of clean cooking equipment.
According to Ndagijimana, households can mistakenly consider traditional firewood or charcoal stoves inexpensive because the equipment itself may be locally made. However, he said this overlooks the wider costs associated with traditional fuels, including their impact on health and the environment.
Pellets offer potential savings
The experts also pointed to fuel costs as an important factor in the decision to adopt clean cooking technologies.
Ndagijimana said demonstrations conducted in rural districts had compared the amount households spend on charcoal with the cost of cooking the same meals using pellets.
A household using charcoal may consume about 1 kilogram per meal, at a cost of between RWF 500 and RWF 800.
By comparison, 1 kilogram of pellets costs about RWF 350, or approximately RWF 400 when transport is included, according to figures shared during the webinar.
The comparison, he said, demonstrates the importance of looking beyond the initial price of a stove and considering the longer-term cost of fuel.
He urged households to consider three factors when choosing a cooking technology: availability of fuel, access to after-sales maintenance and long-term return on investment.
Subsidies and flexible payment models
The initial cost of clean cooking equipment remains a major challenge for many households, particularly those with limited incomes.
Muhizi said that although the Renewable Energy Fund was phased out in 2024, government subsidy mechanisms remain available to help reduce the cost of clean cooking technologies, depending on household circumstances.
Private-sector companies are also exploring alternative financing models, including Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) arrangements, which allow households to spread payments rather than meeting the full cost upfront.
The webinar also highlighted initiatives targeting rural communities. Partners such as Eco-Green have distributed 500 improved cookstoves and pellet packages, while a decentralized financing model has been introduced through local Private Forest Management Units (PFMUs).
Under the model, the groups receive seed capital to acquire stoves and pellets from manufacturers. Cooperative members can then repay the cost on a flexible “pay-per-season” basis, aligned with agricultural harvest periods.
Mindset change remains a major hurdle
Despite the availability of cleaner technologies and financing mechanisms, Muhizi identified public awareness and mindset change as among the biggest obstacles to Rwanda’s clean cooking transition.
He said many households remain unaware of the potential savings associated with clean cooking and do not have sufficient information about government support available to them.
The experts also called for measures to reduce the cost of importing and distributing clean cooking technologies.
High supply-chain costs, they argued, ultimately increase prices for consumers and make adoption more difficult.
Reducing those costs, while strengthening public awareness and access to financing, could help accelerate the shift toward cleaner cooking and contribute to Rwanda’s efforts to build a healthier and greener future.
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