On April 28, 2026, Freetown marked a turning point in its energy policy. The government of Sierra Leone, supported by ECOWAS, officially launched the LPG 20/20 Initiative . This ambitious program aims to modernize cooking practices and promote healthier cooking energy.

LPG: A lever for public health

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is emerging as the ideal alternative to firewood and charcoal (biomass), which still dominate West African homes.

1. Combating indoor pollution: Unlike wood, gas releases almost no toxic fumes.
2. Protecting vulnerable populations: This transition is a priority for the health of women and children, who are the first victims of respiratory illnesses linked to cooking fumes.

A pilot phase involving 10,000 households

To turn the trial into a success, the program begins with a concrete testing phase:

1. Equipment: Support for 10,000 households in switching to gas.
2. Accessibility: Cost reduction and securing of supply.
3. Private partnership: ECOWAS encourages investment to improve transport and storage infrastructure.

The issues: Environment and Sustainable Development

Sédiko Douka, speaking on behalf of ECOWAS, reiterated the urgency of this transition. Currently, 59% of the energy consumed in the region still comes from biomass, fueling alarming deforestation.

The 2050 objective: To avoid the felling of hundreds of millions of tons of wood and massively reduce CO2 emissions to combat global warming.

Why is this important?

DomainImpact of the GPL 20/20 Initiative
Health	Decrease in lung and eye diseases.
Ecology	Forest preservation and biodiversity.
Economy	Job creation in the gas sector.
Social	Saving time for women and protecting children.

Export to Sheets

In short, the GPL 20/20 initiative goes beyond the kitchen: it is a real societal project to sustainably improve living conditions in West Africa.