• Sierra Leone’s 2026 Finance Act eliminates import duties on a wide range of clean cooking equipment including LPG cylinders, improved stoves and solar cookers.

• The measure supports the country’s National Energy Compact, which targets raising clean cooking access from 1.5% to 25% of the population by 2030.

• The duty waiver aims to lower household costs, boost demand, and stimulate private-sector participation in clean cooking distribution.

Sierra Leone adopted a major fiscal reform to accelerate access to clean cooking solutions. The government approved its 2026 Finance Act, which now sets zero import duty on a broad array of clean cooking equipment, including LPG cylinders, LPG fuel, improved cookstoves, accessories, as well as solar electric stoves and panels under 300 W. The policy aims to reduce costs for households and improve conditions for sector growth.

The reform follows efforts led by the Clean Cooking Delivery Unit (CCDU), supported by the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) and hosted within the presidency.

The duty waiver aligns with Sierra Leone’s commitments under its National Energy Compact, which seeks to expand access to clean cooking from 1.5% to 25% of the population by 2030. The plan includes increased uptake of LPG, bioethanol, and dissemination of one million improved cookstoves. The Compact also envisages that the Standards Bureau will implement a regulatory framework, and that a subsidy strategy plus innovative climate-linked financing instruments will support private-sector involvement and broaden affordability.

The new customs exemptions represent one of the first concrete steps designed to reduce access costs, stimulate demand, and incentivize the expansion of distribution networks and entrepreneurial initiatives in clean cooking. Policymakers expect the measure to encourage more private sector entry and accelerate market development.

More than 900 million people across Africa still lack access to clean cooking solutions, according to estimates. That shortfall imposes serious health, social and environmental costs, particularly affecting women and children. In that broader context, Sierra Leone’s reform could contribute to mitigating long-term risks while supporting climate and development goals.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum