The continuous adverse effects of climate change on the sustainability of the environment is a critical topic that cannot be overemphasized. Nigeria’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels results in environmental degradation, economic vulnerabilities and health issues.  Nigeria, like many other nations, stands at a critical juncture where its energy transition plans and budgetary decisions can shape the path  of its development for decades to come. Nigeria, in response to her challenges of the environment, made commitments to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 through its Energy Transition Plan (ETP), launched in 2022.

AfrikaVuka-Nigeria has been instrumental in grassroots activism and renewable energy advocacy. In the first quarter of 2024, AfrikaVuka-Nigeria has consolidated wins, mobilised stakeholders nationwide and will be expanding interventions to hard-to-reach areas, particularly in the Niger Delta. To achieve these and accelerate the transition to a world powered by renewable energies, AfrikaVuka Nigeria in partnership with Global Initiative For Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) hosted a meeting of stakeholders in Abuja-FCT on the 18th of April, 2024, to share the findings of the review of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and Nigeria’s 2024 Climate Budget, aiming to assess Nigeria’s commitment to solving environmental issues and identify crucial areas  that need attention and action. The review of the Energy Transition Plan revealed Nigeria’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, with initial financing opportunities of $23 billion and a $10 billion support package from the government.

The review also showed that the plan has the potential to create about 340,000 jobs by 2030 and 840,000 jobs by 2060.  Furthermore, the strengths of the ETP are to create significant economic opportunities and job creation across various sectors of the economy, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. However, challenges such as heavy reliance on fossil fuels, energy poverty and insufficient investment in renewable energy were highlighted during the review. The review of Nigeria’s 2024 budget indicated that only 5.02% was allocated for climate-related activities out of a total budget of 28.7 trillion naira.

Adaptation projects received 52.8% of the allocation while mitigation projects received 47.2%. Renewable energy projects constituted 37% of the climate budget, indicating a significant focus on transitioning to cleaner energy sources. Effective budgeting and sustainable energy policies are fundamental to building resilience against economic challenges, mitigating climate change risks, and driving inclusive growth.

In Portharcourt, Rivers State Nigeria, AfrikaVuka Nigeria partners; Lekeh Development Foundation, Quest for Growth and Development Foundation, Society for Women and Youth Affairs and Vote4ClimateNG, hosted a dialogue on the Energy Transition Plan.  The event took place on the 22nd of April, 2024. The group made the following demands:

• government should make economic policies that will avail renewable energy to the poor and low-income earners,
• the private sector should be involved in the implementation (incentives like tax breaks should be developed) of the ETP,
• the government should domesticate and make the ETP equitable so as to allow states and local governments to make input and segment the process into short, medium and long-term action to be able to capture areas that are missed in the process and also provide solutions for gaps that may occur

Furthermore, Afrika Nigeria extended its outreach efforts to reach remote communities such as Owukpa in Benue State. In Owukpa, a community affected by coal mining, a monitoring and evaluation exercise was conducted on the Solar for Communities project implemented in 2023. The assessment revealed favorable outcomes for the Owukpa community, including increased household lighting duration of 4 to 6 hours, particularly beneficial for students studying at night. Also, the community reported that crime rate has dropped which has contributed to enhanced security.  More so, the community continues to derive economic advantages stemming from decreased kerosene costs and phone charging facilities.

Overall, Afrika Vuka in Nigeria is advocating for a just transition to renewable energy where the needs of frontline communities are prioritized.

 

By Terrence M. Jeiyol

For Afrika Vuka Nigeria