The government has announced a pilot program across the country involving 50,000 households to assess the feasibility of purchasing gas by weight based on financial capacity, rather than buying a full gas cylinder.
Environment Minister Dr. Valentine Uwamariya informed the Parliamentary Committee on Governance, Gender Equality, and Social Affairs on Monday, March 10, 2025, during a review of the 2023-2024 annual report of the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB).
Minister Uwamariya explained the government’s plan to allow citizens to purchase gas in small quantities, similar to how charcoal is bought, based on what they can afford.
“We are working on a project where people will be able to buy gas according to their financial capacity, just as they buy small quantities of charcoal,” she explained.
The pilot program will include 50,000 households in various parts of the country, including Kigali City. If successful, it will be expanded to more households to assess its impact.
The initiative aims to address the environmental damage caused by using firewood and charcoal for cooking.
MP Deogratias Nzamwita highlighted that many citizens still rely on firewood and charcoal, which harm the environment.
Minister Uwamariya also mentioned plans to invest in necessary cooking equipment and increase gas storage capacity, as the current supply is insufficient.
Rwanda has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cooking fuels and ageing vehicles by 38% by 2029.
Minister Uwamariya emphasized that cooking with gas is more affordable than using firewood in the long term. However, the initial infrastructure required to make gas accessible is a challenge that the government aims to address.
“For example, a school visited by the Ministry of Environment uses one tonne of gas valued at Rwf1.4 million per term, whereas using firewood costs over Rwf3 million for the same period,” she stated.
This initiative comes at a time when gas prices are frequently rising, causing concerns among citizens struggling to afford clean energy.
