Development experts agree that ensuring access to sustainable modern energy services is critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. According to the UNDP, some 2.4 billion people still use traditional biomass fuels for cooking, while around 1.6 billion people have no access to electricity.

This report explores how international oil and gas companies can contribute to tackling energy poverty in the regions where they operate. Successful initiatives need to be developed in partnership with other actors (government, donors, international NGO’s, researchers and civil society). Energy poverty cannot be addressed in isolation from other development challenges, including general poverty alleviation; provision of clean water; agricultural development; and the provision of education and health services. A case study on Nigeria highlights the dilemmas facing some countries