Mrs Samira Bawumia, founder and chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) has highlighted the need for urgent investments and inclusive solutions to the global clean cooking crisis. Speaking at the 2025 Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Global Forum in Barbados, she stressed that clean cooking is not a luxury but a fundamental right for all.

Addressing a diverse audience of global leaders, policymakers, energy experts, investors and climate advocates, Mrs Bawumia painted an alarming picture of the current energy landscape, noting that over 2.3 billion people worldwide still rely on traditional biomass for cooking, with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden.

She cautioned that this continued dependence on wood, charcoal, and fossil fuels leads to severe health consequences, environmental degradation, and economic disadvantages for vulnerable populations-causing over 600,000 premature deaths annually, primarily among women and children in Africa alone.

“These statistics are not just numbers; they represent real lives; mothers, children, and families suffering daily due to a lack of access to clean cooking solutions,” This is a public health emergency, a climate challenge, and a gender equity issue,” she asserted. “We must address it with the urgency it demands.”

Mrs Bawumia urged global leaders, investors, and energy innovators to take a holistic approach to clean energy adoption, ensuring that affordability remains at the core of all initiatives.
She highlighted the staggering cost barrier, pointing out that while electric pressure cookers cost between $50 and $100, nearly 40% of Sub-Saharan Africans live on less than $2 per day.

She further stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which aims for universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy by 2030. She cited initiatives such as Mission 300, an ambitious project by the World Bank and African Development Bank to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

Similarly, she commended Forward7, a clean cooking initiative under the Middle East Green Initiative, for its efforts to transform 750 million lives through policy, finance, and innovation.

As a globally recognised advocate for clean energy and climate action, Mrs Bawumia has been at the forefront of initiatives that promote sustainable cooking solutions. She serves as a Global Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance, the Clean Air Fund and WHO’s Health and Energy Platform for Action among other causes that champion the development of women and children.
Her leadership in these areas has earned her worldwide recognition including being named the first honouree at the Seven for 7 Awards by SEforALL and Ashden in 2019.

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is a global initiative that works to accelerate action toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7)—ensuring universal access to modern, sustainable, and affordable energy by 2030. The SEforALL Global Forum serves as a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and mobilize resources to advance energy access solutions worldwide.