Minister of state for environment Chief Sharon Ikeazor has said the federal government’s energy transition to green economy will create 840,000 jobs across the chain.
Ikeazor stated this in her remarks at the inter-ministerial committee on climate change meeting in Abuja.
She said Nigeria’s revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with additional sectors (waste and water) has more ambitious targets and an increase from 45 to 47 percent conditional with international support.
The minister said the NDC activities are expected to be weighed against the Energy Transition Plan, National Adaptation Plan, Gender Action Plan, National Development Plan 2022 – 2025 to ensure alignment.
She said, “This will accentuate activities with associated costs (as per sector) and timelines.
“Taking cognizance of the challenge that comes with transitioning to a green economy, one interesting fact to note is that Nigeria’s energy transition has a significant potential to create new jobs, including up to 170 thousand jobs in off-grid solar deployment in the power sector and up to 200 thousand jobs across the supply chain for clean cooking solutions.
Net jobs creation can be up to 840 thousand jobs with the boost of electric vehicles and off-grid solar,” she said.
She, therefore, called for support to deliver on the ministry’s mandate and Nigeria’s climate commitments.
“With eight years to go until the deadline for achieving the energy access Sustainable Development Goal 7, and with 2060 fast approaching the time begins now!
“It is imperative to note that as we initiate all of this by discussions here today, we must accelerate actions on ground with catalytic partnerships, frameworks, policies, and regulations needed to crowd-in investments at scale to achieve our objectives” she said.
