The FCTA has launched the Breathe Clean Air Initiative to give 5,000 Abuja households free gas cylinders and six months of refills to curb pollution and improve health

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has rolled out its Breathe Clean Air Initiative, under which 5,000 households across Abuja will receive free cooking gas cylinders along with six months of complimentary refills.

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The initiative — introduced on Saturday as part of the Safe Environment Renewable Project — forms a key component of the administration’s drive to reduce environmental pollution and improve public health outcomes.

Speaking at the official launch, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, stressed that the programme was a strategic intervention rather than another round of palliatives.

“The truth is, health is wealth. Health and the environment are equal. So, the focus of this programme is not only to give out palliatives, as we’ve done in the past,” she said.

Fasawe noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises improved living standards for Nigerians.

She added that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has demonstrated full commitment to advancing a healthier, more liveable capital city.

According to her:

“This programme is to address the Renewed Hope Agenda Initiatives… If only we can put our hands together and not wait for government alone, we can have a happy, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Babagana Adams, outlined the programme’s health and economic benefits, particularly for women who are most affected by traditional cooking methods.

“We’re also saving the pregnant women, along with the family… A healthy community is a wealthy community, so that’s the benefit,” he said.

The initiative’s partners, led by IHS Nigeria Limited, emphasised the health and environmental advantages of transitioning from firewood and charcoal to cleaner energy.

The Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria, Mohammed Darwish, highlighted the risks associated with smoke inhalation:

“This is about helping 5,000 mothers, sisters, and daughters by not inhaling toxic gases anymore, and making sure their health is better by breathing fresh air.”

He added that the six-month refill voucher was designed to help households sustain the shift to gas usage.

A representative of Rotaract Clubs in Abuja, Daniela Omotola, described the initiative as a “timely, life-changing intervention” that would also help reduce pollution-related illnesses.

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Environmental stakeholders at the event noted that as more families transition to cooking gas, pressure on forests and farmlands would ease, helping to curb tree loss, soil degradation, and rising temperatures within the FCT.