Thousands of families across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are now cooking with cleaner energy following the successful completion of Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja, an initiative by IHS Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat (FCT-HSES).
The landmark clean energy programme, which officially concluded at the Bwari Area Council Stadium on July 2, represents one of the largest private sector interventions promoting clean cooking solutions in underserved communities within the FCT.
Designed to reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal, the project has provided vulnerable households with 10,000 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, helping thousands of families transition to safer, cleaner and healthier cooking methods.
The grand finale also featured the symbolic presentation of LPG cylinders and refill vouchers to beneficiaries in Bwari, the last of the six Area Councils covered under the initiative.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Dapo Otunla, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer of IHS Nigeria, who represented the company's Chief Executive Officer, Mohamad Darwish, described the programme as a practical demonstration of IHS Nigeria's commitment to improving lives through sustainable community development.
According to him, the project fulfilled a promise made when the initiative was launched in November 2025 to support the FCT Administration in addressing household air pollution and improving public health.
"When we launched this initiative in November 2025, we committed to supporting the FCT Administration in reducing household air pollution and improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities. Today, we are proud to celebrate the successful fulfilment of that commitment," he said.
Otunla explained that Project Breathe Clean Air aligns with two of IHS Nigeria's major sustainability priorities—Environment and Climate Change and People and Communities.
He noted that replacing traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and charcoal with LPG helps reduce indoor air pollution, which remains a major health risk for millions of women and children who spend long hours around smoky cooking environments.
Beyond clean cooking, the initiative also expanded healthcare access by enrolling 2,000 beneficiaries into the IHS Project Clinic Without Walls (PCWOW) Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring participating families benefit from improved healthcare services alongside cleaner energy.
According to him, the success of the project demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when government institutions, private sector organisations and local communities work together toward a common goal.
"As we celebrate the successful completion of this initiative, we are also celebrating the strength of partnership. The collaboration between IHS Nigeria, the FCT Administration, community leaders and the implementing partners has transformed a shared vision into measurable impact," he added.
Providing an overview of the project, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the initiative was developed in response to the widespread use of firewood and charcoal for cooking across many communities in the Federal Capital Territory.
She explained that encouraging households to abandon traditional fuels without providing an affordable alternative would not have been realistic.
"We could not simply ask people to stop using firewood and charcoal without providing them with a practical alternative," she said.
Dr. Fasawe commended IHS Nigeria for embracing the vision and providing the support required to make the project successful.
She noted that beneficiaries across the six Area Councils received LPG cylinders together with refill vouchers, enabling households to adopt cleaner cooking methods while significantly reducing exposure to harmful smoke generated by traditional cooking fuels.
According to her, the programme demonstrates how partnerships between government and the private sector can deliver practical solutions that improve the quality of life for ordinary Nigerians.
The event also featured testimonies from beneficiaries who described how the clean cooking initiative has improved their daily lives by making cooking faster, cleaner and safer for their families.
Officials of the Federal Fire Service also conducted practical demonstrations on the safe handling and use of LPG cylinders, helping beneficiaries understand important safety procedures for domestic gas usage.
The ceremony attracted senior officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, representatives of the Honourable Minister of State for the FCT, Area Council officials, traditional rulers, community leaders and development partners.
The IHS Nigeria delegation included Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer Dapo Otunla, Director of Sustainability Titilope Oguntuga, Director of Corporate Communications Sylva Ifedigbo, alongside other senior executives of the company.
With the successful completion of Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja, IHS Nigeria says it remains committed to supporting sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote environmental protection, improve healthcare access and enhance the wellbeing of communities where it operates.
The initiative also reinforces growing efforts to encourage cleaner household energy adoption across Nigeria, contributing to healthier families, reduced environmental pollution and improved living standards for vulnerable communities.