Setting New Standards of Urban Sustainability with Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja

Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja unfolded as more than an environmental campaign; it became a powerful statement of renewed hope for families across the Federal Capital Territory Administration. Championed by the Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, under the leadership of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and powered by the support of IHS Nigeria Limited, the initiative saw the distribution of 5,000 gas cylinders with free cooking-gas refills for six months, removing the financial obstacle that has long kept households dependent on firewood and charcoal. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the initiative underscored a shared commitment to tackling household air pollution and promoting safer, cleaner cooking alternatives and in addition, demonstrated how collective action can transform lives, protect the environment, and restore the fundamental right to breathe clean air

Excellence! That was the word for the recently held “Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja” organised by Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Health Services and Environment Secretariat, in partnership with IHS Nigeria and Smart Energies. 

Held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, the event brought together environmental and health experts, students, development partners, policy makers, and key stakeholders to launch the landmark initiative of promoting the adoption of clean cooking gas (LPG) as a safer and healthier alternative to firewood and charcoal.

Renewing Hope, One Household at a Time

But how was this initiative birthed? For Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, FCTA Health Services and Environment Secretariat, her foray into environmental advocacy was shaped by the light shone by Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s legacy.

A firm believer in the fact that “the air we breathe should not be a killer”, she recalled that in 2013, nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah died in London and her mother began a long court process for justice which she achieved after a landmark legal ruling listed that the cause of death as air pollution — the first time globally that pollution had been legally recognised as a cause of death.

The young girl lived near the heavily polluted South Circular Road in Lewisham, London, and this led to severe asthma, exacerbated by exposure to excessive air pollution. The 2020 inquest ruling forced the UK government and local authorities to take more aggressive action against harmful emissions.

Noting that her tragic passing remains a global warning that clean air is a fundamental human right, Dr. Fasawe has been bent on renewing hope one household at a time for Nigerians, especially in the FCTA through “Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja”.

The aim of the initiative is to reduce health risks associated with household air pollution, protect the environment, and contribute to sustainable living in the nation’s capital by distributing 5,000 gas cylinders across the six area councils of the FCTA, encouraging families to switch from firewood and charcoal to clean cooking gas. The bonus? A free refill for six months across the six area councils.

According to Dr. Fasawe, “Our commitment to a sustainable future is backed by action, we are doubling down on our pledge to reduce our carbon footprint through impactful initiatives like Project Breathe: Clean Air Abuja.This program is not just about carbon offsets; it’s about addressing a critical health crisis.

“We say a big thank you to Barr. Nyesom Wike for making this dream a reality. To HSES, our partners IHS (Towers of Strength), we deeply appreciate your unwavering support. A heartfelt thank you to Smart Energies. We promised and we delivered. We have been provided with 5,000 units of gas, which will be distributed across the geopolitical zones of Abuja over the next six months.”

Promoting a Healthy Community 

In his speech, the guest of honour, Hon. Emil Lemieux Inyang said the new beginning of Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja marked a fresh birth of hope for healthier communities, adding that the initiative is set to reshape lives, inspire change, and create a future where clean, safe air is a reality for every home. “A new chapter has begun, and its impact will be felt far beyond today”.

Also speaking, Dr. Babagana Adam, Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, said the goal is to promote a healthy community, noting that 

“the gain is to save our environment, and by saving our environment, we’re also saving the pregnant women, along with the family. So if they live healthy, they’ll be more productive, and the GDP of FCT will increase. So a healthy community is a wealthy community, so that’s the benefit.

“If you see our lists that are invited, it cuts across gender, disability, and all the tiers of the sector. You can even see there are more press, and everybody is represented here. So this is to ensure that everybody gets what is being promised of the gas. And that is why we even made it sustainable, that people will get vouchers to refill the gas thereafter.”

Corporate Commitment to a Cleaner Future

Mohammed Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria Limited, simplified the essence of the programme when he said it was all “about helping 5,000 mothers, sisters, and daughters by not inhaling toxic gases anymore, and by really making sure that their health is better by breathing fresh air. 

“The key component of the program is first of all to deliver, to give the cylinder filled. And then we will also provide refills. So hopefully they also will be able to sustain the use of gas going forward.

“We are not just giving out smart cookers; we are restoring the dignity and health of the Nigerian home.”

Also speaking, Dakpo Otunla, Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, added that it was a fantastic opportunity to collaborate on a phenomenal sustainability initiative, adding that it would benefit the health and welfare of Nigerian citizens, and fortunately for those within the FCT at this time.

Yinka Opeke, CEO of Smart Energies, provided a human lens to the challenge when she opined that energy poverty is not about knowledge but about the mother who knows cleaner fuel exists, wants to protect her daughters’ lungs, but cannot afford the upfront cost of a cylinder, thus resorts to collecting firewood, inhaling the smoke, and remaining trapped in that cycle, adding that it was why the “champions of a clean Abuja,” were chosen.

Poetry, Orchestra and Goose-bump Moments

While the high point of the event was the distribution of cylinders across the six area councils, the emotional peaks however, belonged to the art. From Isabella Ibrahim, who delivered a stirring spoken word performance, her lines capturing the silent sacrifice of Nigerian mothers and the promise of smoke-free kitchens, to the drama by veteran Nollywood actors led by Prince Jide Kosoko. 

The trumpet group delivered goose-bump moments, while an orchestra of musicians belted out old blues under the guidance of a conductor, elevating the event into an experience rather than merely an official launch.

The Path Forward

Essentially, Project Breathe Clean Air Abuja is more than a distribution exercise but also a moral, environmental, and economic intervention. It’s a tribute to Ella, a relief to thousands of mothers, a commitment by government and corporate partners, and a model for urban sustainability.

And above all, for Dr. Fasawe, it is a renewed promise, that the air Nigerians breathe will not be a killer, but a path to dignity, health, and hope, one home at a time.