Commercial eCooking: unlocking productivity for women-led businesses in Kenya and Tanzania

Commercial cooking is one of the most overlooked productive uses of energy, despite supporting the livelihoods of thousands of women-led micro and small enterprises across East Africa.

This briefing paper explores the impacts of introducing PayGo-financed induction cookstoves to women-led food businesses in Kenya and Tanzania. Drawing on evidence from nearly 400 businesses and usage data from more than 2,400 connected cookstoves, it finds that productivity – rather than fuel savings alone – is the primary driver of adoption.

The research shows that faster cooking translates into shorter waiting times, higher throughput and, in many cases, increased sales. It also demonstrates that businesses rarely replace traditional fuels altogether, instead integrating induction cookstoves into hybrid cooking systems that maximise operational performance.

By examining business practices, financing models and user behaviour, the study highlights the importance of Pay-As-You-Go financing, hands-on training and tailored delivery approaches in enabling sustained adoption. The findings suggest that modern eCooking appliances should be viewed not only as clean energy technologies, but also as productive infrastructure capable of strengthening livelihoods and supporting women’s economic empowerment.

The evidence points to a significant opportunity for funders, investors and policymakers to better integrate commercial cooking into productive use of energy strategies and to design interventions that reflect the realities of how small businesses operate.