Conference Agenda

Household cooking energy transitions in rural areas are influenced not only by prices and technology, but also by who makes decisions within the household. This study analyzes cooking fuel choices, fuel-stacking behaviour, and decision-making patterns among 634 smallholder households in Cross River State, Nigeria. Using descriptive statistics, a probit, and a Poisson count model, we assess how fuel use relates to decision authority, forest dependence, and household characteristics. Charcoal remains the dominant primary fuel, while LPG, kerosene, and electricity are typically used as secondary options, revealing widespread fuel stacking rather than full transitions to cleaner energy. Decision-making is largely centralized in the household head, and the likelihood of adopting a clean cookstove increases with the decision-maker's education. Although joint decision-making can support cleaner cooking transitions, it remains uncommon, as most households retain a hierarchical structure in which the head of the household controls energy choices. These results suggest that providing clean stoves alone will not be sufficient to drive meaningful change. Interventions must also address the social and gender dynamics that shape household decisions. Empowering women in household negotiations may matter more than simply providing stoves in clean cooking interventions. Strengthening women’s bargaining power and engaging directly with household heads is crucial for promoting clean cooking transitions in rural Nigeria.