HEALTH EFFECTS OF HOUSEHOLD COOKING FUEL CHOICE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the health effects of household cooking fuel choice in Nigeria. Relying on data sourced from the Nigeria’s General Household Survey (2015/2016), the study used Two Stage Least Square (2SLS) estimation techniques to obtain the estimates of the link between cooking fuels and household health status. The regression results show that smoke from solid cooking fuels has a negative effect on housewife health and that households who use solid fuels for cooking spend relatively more on healthcare expenditure since they are exposed to respiratory related illnesses and injuries. It is recommended that modern cooking fuels should also be made available and affordable for household consumption in order to reduce indoor air pollution and improve household health status.