KOKO Networks: Powering Clean Cooking in African Cities
Access to clean, reliable cooking fuel is a global challenge: billions still rely on charcoal, wood, or kerosene, with severe consequences for health, deforestation, and climate. KOKO Networks is a climate-tech company focused on delivering clean cooking solutions, combining bioethanol fuel, IoT-powered distribution, and carbon finance to make modern cooking accessible. In this post, we’ll examine KOKO’s mission, technology, business model, impact, partnerships, and future trajectory in the clean energy / climate tech space.
KOKO Networks: Mission, History & Reach
What Is KOKO Networks?
KOKO Networks is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and operates in East Africa (notably Kenya and Rwanda). It provides bioethanol-based cooking fuel and equipment to replace charcoal and wood in urban households.
The company frames itself as a clean cooking utility, building dense networks of local distribution points (“KOKOpoints”), smart ATMs for fuel dispensing, and IoT systems to manage logistics, supply chain, payments, and analytics.
Origins & Milestones
KOKO was founded around 2014 by founders including Greg Murray and Sagun Saxena.
The company spent several years in R&D and human-centered design before launching its product to households around 2019.
Over time, it expanded beyond Nairobi into other Kenyan cities (Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu) and began pilot or planning expansion into Rwanda.
To support growth and de-risk scaling, in March 2025, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) issued a ~USD 179.6 million guarantee to back KOKO’s expansion and carbon-credit backed financing
As of now, KOKO claims it has passed over 1 million households as customers.
Products & Technology: Clean Fuel + Smart Network
KOKO Cooker, Canister, & Fuel System
KOKO’s primary consumer product is a two-burner ethanol cooker paired with a smart canister (with a safety valve) that docks with the cooker.
Customers refill the canisters from KOKO Fuel ATMs (dispensing stations) located in local shops, neighborhood corner stores (“KOKOpoints”).
The canister is designed for safe refilling.
The ATMs are connected to KOKO’s cloud backend, which monitors dispensing, inventory, and logistics. Refill transactions integrate with mobile money and payments systems via “KOKO Transact.”
This model combines hardware (cookers, canisters, ATMs) with software / IoT / cloud infrastructure to enable a utility-style distribution system for clean fuel.
Last-Mile Logistics & Network Operations
KOKO operates Smart MicroTankers that deliver bioethanol to local shops (KOKOpoints). The network operations centre (the “KOKO Cloud”) orchestrates routing, inventory, monitoring, and operations.
Their supply chain includes depots, smart refilling stations (Smart Depots), and the software backend to manage data, optimize routing, and reduce waste.
KOKO also sources its bioethanol via supply agreements often tied to the sugar industry or imports; for instance, partnerships exist with Vivo Energy for ethanol supply.
Carbon Finance & Subsidy Model
A distinctive part of KOKO’s model is that it uses carbon credit revenues to partially subsidize cookers and fuel, making them more affordable to low-income households.
By shifting households from charcoal/wood to ethanol, KOKO claims significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, which can be monetized via carbon markets.
In fact, KOKO has issued 2,450,000 tons of carbon credits as part of its operations in Kenya (as of December 2023).
This dual revenue stream (fuel/cooker sales + carbon credits) strengthens financial viability, especially in early scaling phases.
Impact: Environment, Health & Access
Reducing Deforestation & Emissions
Charcoal and wood cooking drive deforestation and CO₂ emissions in many African countries. KOKO’s model helps reduce reliance on biomass fuels.
Their operations in Kenya and Rwanda are verified under clean cooking or carbon protocols, aiming to accelerate national energy transitions.
Health & Indoor Air Quality
Switching from charcoal or firewood to ethanol can dramatically reduce indoor air pollution (particulate matter, carbon monoxide, etc.). That leads to health gains, especially for women and children.
KOKO cites usage in urban settings where traditional cooking fuels contribute to respiratory illnesses.
Energy Access & Affordability
KOKO has been scaling in Kenyan cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of households.They aim to make clean cooking not only environmentally superior but economically accessible.
In Rwanda, pilot operations aim to serve tens of thousands in Kigali, with future goals scaling to national coverage.
Also, KOKO runs three business verticals beyond fuel: KOKO Climate, KOKO Media, and KOKO Labs in addition to KOKO Fuel.
Business Model & Scaling Strategy
Utility-Style Model
KOKO positions itself not as a product seller, but as a fuel utility for households— deploying distribution infrastructure, managing logistics, and controlling supply to achieve widespread adoption.
By owning both supply and distribution, KOKO ensures tighter control over reliability, pricing, and customer experience.
Subsidization via Carbon Credits
Because cost sensitivity is high in target markets, KOKO offsets part of the upfront cost via carbon finance mechanisms—effectively lowering entry barriers for low-income customers.
Dense Network & Local Agents
KOKO builds dense networks of partner shops (KOKOpoints) to bring fuel ATMs within walking distance of customers.They also recruit local agents and staff for logistics, customer outreach, and operations.
Technology & Data Leverage
KOKO’s backend uses IoT, cloud, and data analytics to optimize routing, inventory, demand forecasting, and operational efficiency. Their payments integration ensures smooth mobile money and digital transactions.
This tech foundation is a competitive edge in scaling operations in informal urban neighborhoods.
Strategic Partnerships & Guarantees
KOKO has partnered with Vivo Energy to secure supply for bioethanol.) The MIGA guarantee of USD 179.6 million is significant in de-risking large scale rollout and attracting more capital.
They also plan to expand carbon credit markets (e.g. South Korea, Singapore, Japan) to scale revenue sources.
Future & Outlook
Expansion Across Africa
KOKO aims to replicate its model in additional African markets. Rwanda is already in pilot / planning stage.In time, it could extend into other countries with high biomass cooking dependency.
Scaling Customer Base
Targeting millions of additional households, especially in peri-urban and dense cities, remains a major growth opportunity.
Innovation in Products & Services
KOKO may refine cookers, fuel formulations, canisters, and expand into adjacent energy services, carbon tools, or consumer goods via its platform arms (KOKO Media, KOKO Labs).
Carbon Market Leadership
Generating and selling carbon credits will remain central. As climate finance evolves, KOKO’s track record could position it as a leader in carbon-backed energy access models.
Conclusion
KOKO Networks represents an ambitious and integrated approach to tackling one of the most urgent energy-and–health challenges in Africa: clean cooking. By combining bioethanol fuel, smart distribution networks, IoT/cloud infrastructure, and carbon finance, KOKO is building a utility model for sustainable energy access in dense urban markets.
Its growth — reaching over a million households, expanding into new cities and countries, and securing major guarantees — underscores its potential as a model for climate-tech, energy transition, and inclusive business in emerging economies. The path ahead is arduous, but KOKO is well positioned at the intersection of technology, public health, and climate.
