Tanzania’s transition to modern, sustainable cooking solutions is gaining impressive momentum through a groundbreaking partnership between the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) and TaTEDO-SESO, Sustainable Energy Services Organisation, with technical and strategic support from the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme.
This landmark collaboration marks a major step forward in the country’s efforts to promote clean, efficient, and affordable cooking technologies powered by electricity. Over the past year, the TANESCO–TaTEDO-SESO initiative has focused on strengthening institutional capacity, raising public awareness, and deploying thousands of Electric Pressure Cookers (EPCs) to TANESCO staff and newly connected customers nationwide.
Building Capacity and Changing Mindsets; to ensure effective and sustained adoption of eCooking, TaTEDO-SESO has been instrumental in training TANESCO’s emerging network of “eCooking Champions” across multiple operational zones. These training sessions combine expert presentations with practical cooking demonstrations, allowing participants to experience firsthand the convenience, safety, and cost-effectiveness of modern electric cooking. This approach is reshaping public perceptions of electric cooking across Tanzania, moving it from a perceived luxury to a practical, everyday solution that saves both time and money.
Nationwide Awareness and Engagement; high-impact awareness campaigns have further amplified this message. TANESCO and TaTEDO-SESO have jointly showcased eCooking technologies at major national events, including the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), the Nane Nane Agricultural Exhibitions, and Customer Service Week celebrations. At DITF 2025 alone, public engagement around eCooking technologies increased by 63%, while sales of electric appliances rose by 40% compared to previous years. These figures highlight growing consumer confidence in modern electric cooking solutions and the success of the campaign’s outreach strategy.
Enhancing Affordability Through Innovative Financing; recognizing that affordability remains a key barrier for many households, TANESCO has introduced an innovative on-bill financing scheme that enables customers to purchase Electric Pressure Cookers and repay the cost in manageable monthly instalments through their electricity bills. This customer-centric approach is making clean cooking technologies more accessible to low- and middle-income households, promoting equitable participation in Tanzania’s energy transition and supporting national electrification goals.
Scaling Up Impact Across the Country; to date, over 5,000 Electric Pressure Cookers have already been distributed under this programme, with an additional 6,500 units planned for rollout in the remained period of the programme. The partnership continues to expand its footprint, with new awareness and training activities being launched in both urban and rural areas. Through this model, TANESCO and TaTEDO-SESO are demonstrating how national utilities can play a central role in accelerating the shift to clean, electric cooking, reducing reliance on charcoal and firewood, improving public health, and advancing Tanzania’s environmental and climate commitments.
A Model for Africa’s Clean Cooking Transition; as the collaboration continues to grow, the TANESCO–TaTEDO-SESO partnership is increasingly recognized as one of Africa’s most promising utility-led models for scaling eCooking adoption. By integrating innovation, capacity building, and customer-focused financing, the initiative not only strengthens Tanzania’s power sector but also contributes to broader sustainable development goals. This forward-looking partnership illustrates what can be achieved when utilities, local innovators, and international partners work together to deliver clean energy solutions that transform lives and communities one household at a time.
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Featured photo, top: Demonstrations to TANESCO staff during SAMIA connect in Arusha, August 2025 (photo credit: TaTEDO-SESO).
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