FCTA, IHS distribute 10,000 LPG cylinders to curb air pollution

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, in partnership with IHS Nigeria, has distributed 10,000 Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders and refill vouchers to households across 18 communities in the six Area Councils of the FCT under the Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja.

The initiative, which ended with a grand finale at the Bwari Mini Stadium on Thursday, also recorded significant improvements in household air quality, according to findings from the project’s monitoring and evaluation exercise.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmud, represented by Maijida Kuku, said the project was introduced to reduce respiratory diseases caused by indoor air pollution through the adoption of clean cooking energy.

She noted that women and children bear the greatest burden of smoke from firewood, charcoal and kerosene used for cooking, adding that wider adoption of LPG would improve public health, protect the environment and contribute to climate change mitigation.

The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the initiative was launched in November 2025 with sponsorship from IHS Nigeria.

She explained that the project was conceived following rising cases of respiratory tract infections among women and respiratory allergies in children linked to prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood, charcoal and kerosene.

According to Fasawe, beyond distributing LPG cylinders, the sustainability teams of the FCTA and IHS Nigeria carried out advocacy visits to community leaders to promote the safe use of gas while conducting monitoring and evaluation to assess the project’s impact on household air quality and health.

She said handheld air quality monitoring sensors were deployed in 30 households in the Kurudu and Pyakasa communities of the Abuja Municipal Area Council to measure levels of fine particulate matter before and after households switched from biomass fuels to LPG.

The baseline assessment, she said, showed that PM2.5 levels in homes using firewood and charcoal exceeded the World Health Organisation’s recommended limits, exposing women and children to pollutants associated with respiratory diseases.

Fasawe added that follow-up monitoring recorded noticeable improvements in indoor air quality after the introduction of LPG, confirming that clean cooking energy significantly reduces exposure to harmful pollutants, improves respiratory health and lowers the risk of chronic diseases.

She said the findings would provide valuable local evidence to support future policies on clean energy, air quality management and public health.

Fasawe disclosed that two outdoor air quality monitoring sensors had also been procured for installation across the FCT to provide real-time environmental data for public health planning.

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Recalling the project’s launch, Fasawe said air pollution had been described as a silent killer contributing significantly to the global burden of disease, adding that increasing lung cancer cases among non-smokers underscored the need for greater public awareness and wider adoption of clean household energy.

She noted that the initiative was fulfilling its promise of “Renewing Hope, one household at a time.”

Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria Limited, Mohamed Darwish, represented by the Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, Dapo Otunla, said the company had achieved the objectives of the initiative as part of its commitment to sustainability and the wellbeing of its host communities.

“At IHS Nigeria, sustainability is embedded in how we think, how we operate and how we create long-term value. Our approach is guided by four sustainability pillars that define our priorities and impact areas. This initiative directly aligns with two of those pillars: Environment and Climate Change and People and Communities,” Darwish said.

According to him, under the Environment and Climate Change pillar, Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja supports the transition away from traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal.

He added that the shift contributes to reduced carbon emissions, improved air quality and reduced pressure on natural ecosystems such as forests.

Darwish maintained that, from the People and Communities perspective, “the programme directly improves the quality of life of beneficiaries and others by reducing exposure to indoor air pollution, improving household health outcomes, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing safety and dignity in daily living, particularly for women and children who are most affected.”

Also speaking, Consultant Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at the National Hospital Abuja, Ayuba Usman, described the initiative as a life-changing intervention capable of reducing the burden of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

She stressed that prevention was more affordable than treatment and urged governments, development partners and private organisations to support similar public health interventions.

The project also extended to schools, with pupils and students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions receiving branded educational materials to promote environmental awareness and healthy living, while pregnant women received baby care kits to support maternal and child health.

The grand finale 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 Bwari, and other government, corporate and traditional leaders.