Journal of Energy Research and Reviews

Access to clean cooking is essential for public health and environmental sustainability, yet stove distribution does not guarantee sustained use or reduced exposure. This cross-sectional study assessed clean-stove use, cooking-area air pollution, cardiopulmonary indicators, and energy stacking among 350 beneficiary households in seven peri-urban communities of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, with environmental monitoring and physiological assessment in a subsample of 50 households. Cooking-period concentrations of PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CO, CO₂, and H₂S were measured alongside forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and blood pressure. Questionnaire data characterised adoption, stacking, expenditure, satisfaction, and barriers. Just 23.9% of households reported exclusive clean-stove use; 76.1% used additional cooking technologies and 70.1% had not displaced traditional stoves. Mean cooking-area PM₂.₅ was 56.90 μg/m³ (SD = 55.20), PM₁₀ 86.40 μg/m³ (SD = 78.30), and CO 18.90 ppm (SD = 13.60). PM₂.₅ was inversely correlated with FEV₁ (r = −0.31, p = 0.03) and PEF (r = −0.28, p = 0.04); after adjustment, each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₂.₅ was associated with 0.028-L lower FEV₁ (p = 0.013). Affordability (50.9%) was the leading barrier to sustained adoption. Findings reveal an implementation–exposure gap: clean-stove access did not translate into exclusive use or low cooking-period pollution. Programmes should pair distribution with affordable fuel, user education, maintenance, and post-distribution support, and evaluate sustained adoption and exposure reduction rather than stove ownership alone.