The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), through its Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility (RPFF), has announced a new Clean Cooking Program aimed at accelerating access to clean cooking solutions across Africa. The announcement was made during the AfDB’s 2026 Annual Meetings at a special session hosted by the Government of Italy in partnership with the Bank.
The newly launched RPFF Clean Cooking Program (RCCP) will begin with an initial funding envelope of €25 million and is expected to provide clean cooking access to nearly one million households across the continent. The initiative is also projected to reduce approximately five million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, supporting Africa’s broader climate and energy transition goals.
The RPFF, established in February 2025, was designed as a catalytic financing mechanism combining grants and concessional funding to rapidly support projects in energy, transport, and water infrastructure. The facility works in partnership with the African Development Bank to co-finance projects that address climate vulnerability, fragility, and irregular migration across African nations.
Speaking during the event, Dr Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank, highlighted the strategic importance of the program in tackling one of Africa’s most pressing development challenges.
“Clean cooking is a strategic priority for the Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa,” said Lorenzo Ortona, Deputy Coordinator of the Mission Structure for the Mattei Plan at the Office of the Italian Prime Minister. He noted that nearly one billion people in Africa still lack access to clean cooking solutions, leading to severe impacts on health, gender equality, and economic development.
The panel discussion featured senior government officials and policymakers from Denmark, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia. Discussions focused on the importance of increasing investments in clean cooking infrastructure and how the RPFF can support national energy transition goals.
Denmark’s State Secretary for Development Policy, Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone, reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to the initiative after joining the RPFF in December 2025, emphasising that access to clean cooking remains a major development priority for the country.
Kenya announced that it is preparing to host the second Africa Clean Cooking Summit in Nairobi from July 9-10, 2026, while also developing an e-cooking market program supported by the RPFF. Ethiopia, which is preparing to host COP32 in 2027, is integrating clean cooking into its national climate agenda. Zambia also outlined efforts to expand clean cooking access in line with its Mission 300 National Energy Compact.
So far, the RPFF has secured approximately €168 million in commitments from Italy, the United Arab Emirates and Denmark. The facility currently supports four active projects ranging from solar-powered water systems in Ethiopia to green mini-grids in Mauritania and infrastructure projects along the Lobito Corridor in Angola and Zambia.
According to the African Development Bank, the portfolio has already leveraged around €389 million in co-financing from the Bank and an additional €148 million from governments and development partners.
Dr Schroth stated that the RPFF’s rapid progress demonstrates the effectiveness of strong international partnerships in delivering impactful development outcomes. He added that the clean cooking initiative addresses critical issues spanning energy access, public health, climate action, and livelihoods.
Closing the session, Francesca Utili, Alternate Governor at Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, praised the partnership between Italy and the African Development Bank, stating that the facility is now operating at full capacity with a growing pipeline of strategic projects aimed at supporting Africa’s sustainable infrastructure and energy development priorities.
