Dodoma. Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Energy, Salome Makamba, has strongly urged women and youth across the nation to seize emerging opportunities within the clean cooking energy sector to secure economic empowerment and drive national development.
Speaking during a fundraising event for the Mwalimu Nyerere Women’s Group in Dodoma, Ms Makamba said that clean cooking energy adoption remains significantly low in rural areas.
This deficit, she noted, presents a massive opening for citizens to engage in public education, technological innovation, and the production of clean energy alternatives, such as eco-friendly briquettes.
She challenged the group to scrutinise the sector closely and harness these opportunities to uplift their members financially while supporting government efforts to protect the environment.
To propel the transition to sustainable energy, the government has allocated Sh10 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year.
These funds will be directed towards conducting research, fostering innovation in clean cooking technologies, raising public awareness across various social groups, and strengthening partnerships with the private sector.
In tandem with this initiative, a dedicated Sh3 billion subsidy has been set aside specifically for youth, women, and people with special needs.
This financial backing aims to empower these demographics to manufacture alternative charcoal and energy-efficient stoves. Ms Makamba emphasised that this funding represents a vital lifeline for young men, young women, and vulnerable groups, advising them to organise themselves into formal groups to benefit from the programmes, lift themselves out of poverty, and actively champion the country’s clean energy transition.
