The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in partnership with IHS Nigeria, has distributed 10,000 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders and refill vouchers to households across 18 communities in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory under the Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja initiative.
The programme, which concluded with a grand finale at the Bwari Mini Stadium on Thursday, also recorded significant improvements in household air quality, according to findings from its monitoring and evaluation exercise.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmud, represented by Maijida Kuku, said the initiative was designed to reduce respiratory diseases caused by indoor air pollution by encouraging the adoption of clean cooking energy.
She said women and children are disproportionately affected by smoke from firewood, charcoal and kerosene used for cooking, adding that increased use of LPG would improve public health, protect the environment and support efforts to mitigate climate change.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the project was launched in November 2025 with funding from IHS Nigeria in response to rising cases of respiratory tract infections among women and respiratory allergies in children linked to prolonged exposure to smoke from biomass fuels.
According to Fasawe, the project combined the distribution of LPG cylinders with community advocacy on the safe use of cooking gas and a monitoring programme to assess its impact on household air quality and public health.
She said handheld air quality sensors were deployed in 30 households in Kurudu and Pyakasa communities within the Abuja Municipal Area Council to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) before and after beneficiaries switched from firewood and charcoal to LPG.
The baseline assessment showed that PM2.5 levels in homes using biomass fuels exceeded the World Health Organisation’s recommended limits, exposing residents, particularly women and children, to harmful pollutants associated with respiratory diseases.
She added that follow-up assessments recorded marked improvements in indoor air quality after households adopted LPG, indicating that clean cooking energy significantly reduces exposure to harmful pollutants and lowers the risk of respiratory and other chronic illnesses.
Fasawe said the findings would provide local evidence to support future policies on clean energy, air quality management and public health. She also disclosed that two outdoor air quality monitoring sensors had been procured for installation across the FCT to provide real-time environmental data for health planning.
Speaking on behalf of IHS Nigeria, the company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, Dapo Otunla, who represented Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Darwish, said the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to sustainability and community wellbeing.
He said the project aligns with the company’s sustainability priorities by promoting cleaner energy, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and enhancing the health and quality of life of beneficiaries, particularly women and children.
Consultant Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at the National Hospital Abuja, Dr Ayuba Usman, described the initiative as a significant public health intervention capable of reducing the burden of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. She called on governments, development partners and private organisations to support similar preventive health programmes.
As part of the initiative, pupils and students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions received educational materials promoting environmental awareness and healthy living, while pregnant women were provided with baby care kits to support maternal and child health.
The closing ceremony was attended by representatives of the Bwari and Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmen, the Head of Service of the FCTA, the Director-General of the Maryam Babangida Women Development Centre, the Area Commander, the Etsu of Bwari and other government, corporate and traditional leaders.
