A roadmap on Nigeria’s engagements in the energy transition programme is to be unveiled soon by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, announced this in Abuja at a workshop held by NEITI in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) based in the United States.
Orji, in a statement on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, by Mrs Obiageli Onuorah, Head, Communications and Advocacy, NEITI, explained that the roadmap would be comprehensive in content.
He said the roadmap would have a framework that contains information and data to drive the implementation of the Federal Government’s overall Energy Transition Plan recently approved by the Federal Executive Council.
Orji also said that the workshop was organised to seek the views and advise of NEITI’s Board and Senior Management Team as well as the collaboration of the NRGI in relation to the subject matter.
The collaboration with the NRGI is part of NEITI’s ongoing stakeholders’ engagements that aim to develop the needed roadmap.
According to Orji, the transition from carbon-based energy to renewable energy has far-reaching implications for the global economy, particularly Nigeria.
“The implications for Nigeria, a highly natural resource revenues dependent country, are very huge, especially with regard to energy security, citizens livelihood, job opportunities and economic development”.
“For us at NEITI, we have legitimate interest and duty to help our country develop comprehensive content to guide it’s rule of engagements required to maximise the opportunities in energy transition while minimising its associated risks,” the statement quoted Orji as saying.
Orji disclosed that a national dialogue on Energy Transition will be held in Abuja in September this year to discuss the roadmap.
The Chairman of the NEITI Board, Mr Olusegun Adekunle, in his remarks, reaffirmed the commitment of the board to provide NEITI with the required policy direction that could aid the development of the roadmap.
Adekunle described energy transition as the future of the industry.
He also charged participants at the workshop to take advantage of the event to build their skills and improve their knowledge on energy transition.
Ms Nafi Chinery, the West African Regional Manager of NRGI, underlined the need to include diversification of Nigeria’s economy as one of the priorities in the country’s energy transition response.
“Nigeria has a chance to minimise the economic shocks from the energy transition, but can only do so if the government responds quickly by making evidence-based decisions.
“The country can also minimise economic shocks by putting in place appropriate measures to mitigate the risks and enhance the benefits and diversification potential provided energy transition,” Chinery said.
The Minister of Environment, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, represented by Head, Environmental Impact Assessment, Mr Celestine Gomwalk, disclosed that a National Council on Climate Change had been established by the ministry to support the implementation of energy transition programme.
Gomwalk welcomed with delight the evolving partnership with NEITI in the areas of planning, capacity building, information and data sharing toward ensuring a national coordinated energy transition project.
The workshop witnessed presentations from leading energy experts drawn from within and outside the country.
By Emmanuella Anokam
