Nigeria reiterated its commitment to a just and inclusive clean energy transition.
The commitment was made Friday at the International Energy Agency (IEA) Global Commission on a Human-Centric Clean Energy Transition in Brazil.
At the commission’s first face-to-face meeting, a companion event to the 2024 G20 Brazil Summit, Nigeria’s Minister of Labor and Employment, Nkeirika Onyejoecha, spoke virtually, aiming to integrate workforce development and equity with climate change. He emphasized Nigeria’s pioneering efforts. policy.
In a statement signed by his special assistant on media, Emame Gabriel, the minister said the country’s approach is focused not only on economic empowerment and social equity, but also on new green energy projects such as solar power and renewable energy. He also emphasized that he is focusing on creating opportunities for workers in jobs.
“Nigeria is further moving towards clean energy with a focus on the transport sector through the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.
“Nigeria’s CNG initiative, launched under the Presidential Initiative on CNG (Pi-CNG), aims not only to reduce carbon emissions but also to create 25,000 green jobs.
“The Department of Labor and Employment, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is leading the effort to ensure workers are properly trained and equipped to respond to these new opportunities,” the Minister said.
She said existing auto technicians and mechanics are improving their skills to modify and convert petrol-powered vehicles to CNG-powered vehicles.
The move is not only critical to the country’s climate goals, but also to ensure that workers, many of whom rely on the traditional energy sector, are not left behind in the transition to cleaner technologies. is also extremely important, she added.
“Our work goes beyond the transportation sector. Building on the recently launched Labor, Employment and Empowerment Program (LEEP), the federal government will support women and youth, who are often disproportionately impacted by economic transitions. We are developing a comprehensive training initiative targeting two groups.
“This program will equip you with the skills to participate in the green economy, with training specifically focused on areas such as solar kiosk and solar panel installation, greenhouse farming, and recycling.”
Onyejocha also emphasized that Nigeria’s model can serve as a blueprint for world leaders.
She said: “Climate action must be combined with economic empowerment. We must provide opportunities for people to thrive in this new era.
“Nigeria is committed to this cause and has begun taking concrete steps to ensure that principles of equity guide clean energy policies, especially in the protection and empowerment of the workforce.
“As we move towards a more sustainable energy future, it is essential to ensure that this transition leaves no one behind, especially those whose livelihoods have been tied to the energy sector for decades. It is imperative that we do so,” she said.
These efforts, highlighted by the minister, reflect Nigeria’s commitment to properly transition workers and “embed the principles of equity in the design of all clean energy policies” and provide workers with opportunities in new green jobs. The purpose is to create
“For example, it is expected that 30-40% of trainees trained under LEEP will be women and young people, enabling them to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the clean energy sector. Masu.
