By Martha Agas
The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) says Nigeria’s energy transition pathway must reflect the country’s unique development priorities while promoting environmental sustainability.
The Director-General of the NCCC, Mrs Omotenioye Majekodunmi, made the call on Monday in Abuja at the National Dialogue on Nigeria’s Energy Transition, themed ‘Energy and Economic Diversification Pathways’.
The dialogue was convened by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) in partnership with the NCCC, Nextier and Electricity Hub.
Represented by Mr Michael Ivenso, Director of Energy, Transportation and Infrastructure at the NCCC, Majekodunmi said the country’s transition must be just and inclusive, adding that while pursuing decarbonisation, Nigeria’s national circumstances must be recognised.
She emphasised the need to prioritise energy access, poverty reduction, industrialisation and green job creation in implementing the country’s energy transition agenda.
According to her, strong collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, financial institutions, development partners and academia are essential to ensure quality development and effective governance.
She said the Federal Ministry of Environment remained committed to fostering these partnerships and creating an enabling policy environment that supports sustainable investment while safeguarding environmental integrity.
In his remarks, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), said the country`s structured energy transition must go hand in hand with its aspirations for economic diversification and long term fiscal resilience.
“Building clean and reliable energy systems and infrastructure is essential for expanding power ambition. Supporting economic activities and enhancing our capacity to mitigate the long term risk of stranded fossil oil assets.
“Sustainable alternative energy pathways are indispensable for achieving long term development goals. Equally, there is a need to leverage the energy transition as a structural catalyst for economic diversification,” he said.
In her remarks, Country Manager for NGRI, Tengi George-Ikoli, said the findings of the institute’s reports unveiled at the event aimed to enable policymakers to make evidence-based decisions.
George-Ikoli said an informed decision would strengthen energy security and ensure the country’s natural resources delivered lasting benefits for all its people.
She said that the dialogue aims to review the progress achieved since the 2022 unveiling of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and map out pathways for future reforms.
The dialogue, she added, provided an opportunity for key stakeholders to propose practical measures that strategically position Nigeria within a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue was part of NRGI activities to mark its 20th anniversary.
NRGI also unveiled two new studies examining how Nigeria can strengthen electricity access while creating new pathways for economic diversification in the context of the global energy transition.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
