Dar es Salaam. Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) plan to visit Tanzania to learn from the country’s progress in promoting clean cooking energy.
The move reflects Tanzania’s growing recognition as a regional leader in advancing access to clean cooking solutions across Africa.
SADC has also commended Tanzania and recognised President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her leadership and contribution to promoting clean cooking energy in the country, across the region and on the continent.
The remarks were made by Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba during a joint virtual meeting of the SADC Committee of Ministers responsible for Energy and Water Affairs held on July 17, 2026.
Ms Makamba said Tanzania had made significant progress in implementing the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy 2024–2034. She said the use of clean cooking energy had reached 28.6 percent nationwide.
She said the government had introduced several strategic measures to accelerate the transition to clean cooking energy.
Among the measures was a ban on the use of firewood and charcoal in institutions serving more than 100 people a day.
The directive came into effect on March 23, 2023.
She said the government had also provided subsidies to several institutions, including the Tanzania Prisons Service, the National Service (JKT) and schools, to support their shift to clean cooking technologies.
Ms Makamba said the government launched the Clean Cooking Energy Communication Strategy in June 2025.
It also completed a baseline survey to support monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the national strategy.
“The government has also continued investing in infrastructure to distribute natural gas for household cooking. At the same time, it has provided subsidies for selected clean cooking appliances and supported the importation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),” she said.
The developments strengthen Tanzania’s position as one of Africa’s leading advocates of clean cooking energy and are expected to encourage wider regional cooperation in expanding access to modern and environmentally friendly cooking solutions.
