KOKO Networks, an international technology company that wants to mainstream clean bio-ethanol cooking fuel in Kenya has today launched KOKO Fuel.
KOKO Fuel is a clean, safe and affordable liquid ethanol cooking fuel solution, that is dispensed from “KOKOpoint” Smart Fuel ATMs located in 700 shops across the city. The company also unveiled its new 2-burner KOKO Cooker which will be retailing at Ksh. 6,999.
Their agent network extends across greater Nairobi, from Thika to Kitengela, Kiserian to Limuru, and everywhere in-between, providing access to KOKOpoints within a short walk of all customer homes. Customers use smart canisters that dock with KOKO points, which then dispense fuel they have pre-purchased by topping up their accounts with M-PESA. They then take their smart canister home to plug into their KOKO Cooker, a modern, high-power 2-burner ethanol stove that delivers affordable cooking energy, safely and conveniently.
KOKO’s technology and approach delivers major cost efficiencies and removes the need for disposable plastic bottles, enabling KOKO Fuel to be accessed affordably by households suffering under increasing kerosene and charcoal prices. KOKO Fuel is clean and delivers no harmful emissions, an important factor for Kenya, which, according to the Ministry of Health, suffers from nearly 400 deaths per week from the diseases caused by indoor air pollution from dirty cooking fuels.
Dr. Eng. Joseph Njoroge, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, had this to say, “KOKO Fuel is a fantastic alternative solution to charcoal and paraffin, which are unsafe and used extensively by Kenyans. Traditional wood, charcoal and kerosene fuels are the leading cause of Indoor Air Pollution in Kenya, claiming more than 21,000 lives every year. This translates to more than 400 every week, many of whom are children under the age of 5, and places a big strain on our health system. At the same time, deforestation from unsustainable charcoal practices drive changes in our rainfall patterns, negatively impacting our agricultural yields. By responsibly managing the transition from charcoal, we can improve our food security.”
KOKO’s Chief Customer Officer, Ms. Leila Ibrahim, had this to say, “For so long our country has been stuck with charcoal and kerosene – fuels that are slow, dirty, unsafe and expensive. As Kenyans, we all deserve better. KOKO’s technology now exists for clean heat and modern living, delivered affordably. No more handling dirty charcoal; no more endless scrubbing of sufurias; no more wasted time waiting for a jiko to heat up; no more paying high prices for toxic charcoal and kerosene fuels that endanger our families. My message to all Kenyans is this: KOKO is here.”