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41% of Kenyans still use firewood as their main source of fuel – TIFA survey
11th September, 2025 12:38 PM
A new report has revealed that firewood remains the most commonly used cooking fuel among Kenyan households.
According to the report released by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) on Thursday, September 11, 2025, 41 percent of the Kenyan population depends on it as their primary source of energy.
“While the most common fuel used by Kenyans overall for residential cooking is firewood (41 percent), there is a marked contrast between urban and rural dwellers in this regard, with a considerable majority of the former using LPG – nearly three times more than their rural counterparts (66 percent vs. 23 percent) – as the main fuel for this purpose,” the report showed.
The findings are based on a TIFA national survey conducted between August 23 and September 3, 2025.
According to TIFA, its researchers interviewed 2,023 randomly selected Kenyan adults across all 47 counties, capturing views on household economic realities, government policy, political alignment, and expectations ahead of the 2027 general election.
TIFA noted that subsequent political and economic developments may have influenced public opinion since the survey period; however, it stated that the results provide an accurate snapshot of Kenyan attitudes at the time.
Similarly, the report revealed that income plays a major role in fuel choice, with 89 percent of affluent urban households using LPG compared to just 38 percent among the poorest.
In rural areas, the gap is narrower but still significant, with 45 percent of the wealthiest households using LPG compared to only 14percent among the poorest.
The report also disclosed that the proportion of families relying on wood for cooking has dropped sharply, while LPG usage has climbed over the last decade.
“Over the last ten years, there has been a marked decline in the nation’s use of wood for cooking and a corresponding increase in the use of LPG, so that a far narrower margin now separates the two as compared to a decade ago (4% vs. 42%),” the report showed.
TIFA attributes this shift to multiple factors, including government and private sector campaigns promoting clean energy and President William Ruto’s visible involvement in climate action and tree planting initiatives, as well as the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on LPG.
The report also shows that reliance on paraffin as a cooking fuel has drastically declined, dropping from 14 percent six years ago to just 4 percent today.
Clean cooking
First Lady Rachel Ruto has underscored the importance of clean cooking solutions in promoting health, dignity, and economic opportunities for Kenyan families.
Speaking in Kilifi County during the commemoration of Clean Cooking Week 2025 on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the First Lady said access to clean cooking is not just about convenience but about transforming the daily lives of millions of households.
“Clean cooking is about dignity and safety in the daily lives of every Kenyan family. It means a mother is no longer forced to cook in a smoky kitchen that harms her health; a child is able to study in the evening without inhaling dangerous fumes, and families save time and resources, freeing women and youth to pursue education and entrepreneurial opportunities,” she said.
