Africa’s Clean Cooking Crisis: U.S. Pushes IEA To Support Energy Access And Development

The United States has stepped up pressure on the International Energy Agency (IEA), urging the Paris-based organization to refocus on its original mission of ensuring global energy security. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright criticized the IEA for being overly influenced by climate ideology, which he said has come at the expense of practical energy solutions. He emphasized that the agency must prioritize energy access and support clean cooking initiatives, particularly in Africa, where millions remain without reliable energy.

African leaders and private-sector groups have long argued that the IEA has drifted from its founding purpose, becoming increasingly political in its outlook and shaping financing narratives that restrict investment in oil and gas. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has said this approach has slowed development on the continent and contributed to widespread energy poverty. Critics argue that the IEA’s 2021 net-zero roadmap, updated in 2025, has been used by financiers and multilateral institutions to limit capital flows to African energy projects, including gas and fossil fuel infrastructure.

The roadmap sets ambitious targets, such as no new fossil fuel investments after 2021 and restrictions on combustion engine vehicles, while assuming rapid global cooperation and massive increases in renewable energy investments. For Africa, where nearly 592 million people still lack access to electricity or clean cooking, these assumptions are unrealistic. Western countries, despite promoting the roadmap, have contributed little to renewable energy funding in Africa. Even major international oil companies have limited renewable projects on the continent.

OPEC highlighted that developing countries need technical and financial support to achieve net-zero targets, warning that without cooperation, global emissions reductions will be insufficient. The roadmap has already influenced global financiers, with banks such as BNP Paribas and HSBC halting new oil and gas financing, while other institutions became selective. The World Bank stopped direct upstream investments in 2019, leaving African countries struggling to develop strategic gas resources. The AEC has warned that such policies represent financial discrimination against African energy projects.

Clean cooking access is a pressing challenge, with over 900 million Africans lacking solutions. Secretary Wright said that investing $4 billion annually could accelerate clean cooking rollout and lift nearly two billion people out of energy poverty. He criticized global spending on climate change, noting that only 2.6% of energy comes from solar, wind, and batteries, largely benefiting wealthy nations.

The IEA has announced plans to integrate the Clean Cooking Alliance into its programs and partner with governments and industry to expand access. The U.S. has launched a Clean Cooking Accelerator Program to help build infrastructure in Africa. While these steps are promising, the AEC insists that true reform must include practical energy pathways, reject blanket investment bans, and recognize that African oil and gas can coexist with climate goals. Partnerships, rather than aid, are key to ending energy poverty on the continent.