In Lagos, Nigeria, dignitaries guided walkthrough of exhibition, showcasing private sector cooking solutions (Solar Cookstoves with Battery Storage, Electric Pressure Cookers, Induction Stoves, and Improved Cookstoves with Bio Ethanol provided by Tangram Energy and Burn Manufacturing) and blind taste test of popular Nigerian dish (smoked Jollof rice – TBC) during Outdoor Clean Cooking Experience at the International Day of Clean Energy Celebrations held on Monday January 26th, 2026.
In celebration of the 3rd International Day of Clean Energy, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), yesterday launched a 24-Hour Clean Energy campaign, marking the occasion with a series of physical and virtual events to drive clean energy advocacy and action across Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the globe.
As part of the commemoration, SEforALL, which the United Nations has named one of the leaders of the Day, launched a 24-hour clean energy campaign along with three events spanning two continents.
Photo: SEforALL
With the objective of driving global action for clean energy on a massive scale, the activations focus on two often overlooked priorities of the global energy transition: clean cooking, which replaces polluting fuels with safer, modern solutions, as well as new approaches to financing electricity access for communities still without reliable power.
Despite significant progress globally, more than 2.1 billion people still rely on polluting fuels such as firewood and charcoal for cooking, which exposes families to deadly household air pollution, drives deforestation and accelerates climate change.
Photo: SEforALL
At the same time, Sub-Saharan Africa remains without reliable electricity, which limits economic opportunity and access to essential services. Driven by its unyielding belief that both challenges are solvable with existing technologies and targeted investment, the four flagship events drive action from local to global change.
In Lagos, Nigeria, SEforALL convened policymakers, private sector leaders and community stakeholders for an in-person Clean Cooking Experience focused on accelerating Nigeria’s clean energy transition. The event combined a policy roundtable with hands-on demonstrations of clean cooking technologies available in the Nigerian market, highlighting the health, climate and economic benefits of transitioning away from polluting fuels.
In Vienna, Austria, SEforALL brought together ambassadors, government officials, international partners, youth leaders and the media for a high-level event focused on clean cooking in schools. The programme featured a panel discussion, a photo exhibition and a reception showcasing how clean cooking solutions can improve health, protect the environment and strengthen education outcomes for millions of children worldwide.
Photo: SEforALL
SEforALL also marked the fifth anniversary of the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) with the event showing how funding, paid out once results are delivered, is expanding electricity access across Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme also featured the announcement of a new European Union and Danish Government–funded initiative to accelerate private-sector investment in green mini-grids in Sierra Leone and open a call for applications.
SEforALL also launched “24 Hours for Clean Energy,” a digital activation inviting individuals, businesses and organisations everywhere to share commitments and actions in support of SDG7 across social media platforms.
Using the hashtags #InternationalDayOfCleanEnergy and #CleanEnergyDay, participants would contribute to a shared global moment of visibility and solidarity for clean, affordable and reliable energy.
By linking local action with global engagement, SEforALL’s Clean Energy Day activations underscore that energy poverty, climate change and development are deeply interconnected, and that solutions delivered in one part of the world deliver benefits for all. The objective is part of SeforALL’s global mandate to accelerate energy transitions in emerging and developing countries and works at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organisations to decarbonise energy systems, grow green industries and improve energy access.
About Sustainable Energy for All:
Sustainable Energy for All has a global mandate to accelerate energy transitions in emerging and developing countries. We work at the intersection of energy, climate and development, partnering with governments and organizations to decarbonize energy systems, grow green industries and improve energy access. The solutions we design and deliver help bring sustainable energy and its benefits to households, businesses, public services and whole economies – opening pathways to a more resilient and prosperous future for all.
www.seforall.org
About the Universal Energy Facility:
The Universal Energy Facility (UEF), a multi-donor fund managed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), was established in 2020 to accelerate and scale up energy access across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, in line with SDG7 and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The UEF provides incentive payments to clean energy companies deploying energy solutions and providing verified end-user electricity connections (via mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems) and clean cooking solutions based on pre-determined service standards.
https://www.universalenergyfacility.org
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