In a significant move toward advancing Nigeria’s clean energy goals, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, hosted the “Partnership to Accelerate Global Energy Transition (PACT)” for Nigeria on March 11, 2025, in Abuja. The high-level engagement brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and energy experts to discuss strategies for accelerating the country’s transition to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. Participants underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in unlocking investment opportunities, fostering innovation, and ensuring an inclusive energy transition.
During the discussions, experts highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and the critical role of initiatives, such as the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan, in meeting these ambitious targets. The financing challenges of a just energy transition and the need to leverage carbon markets to attract private-sector investment was emphasized. Dr. Segun Adaju, former President of, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, reiterated that a coordinated approach involving public-private partnerships and international support is essential for achieving the Paris Agreement goals while driving economic growth and job creation.
The highlight of the event was the discussions during the breakout session. It was emphasized that clean cooking solutions remain a low-hanging fruit to achieving our climate goals. During the Clean Cooking Initiative Group discussion, major barriers impeding the growth of the clean cooking industry and affecting adoption rates in households, bakeries, and agro-processing sectors were highlighted as the high upfront cost of some clean cooking technologies, limited awareness, inadequate infrastructure, etc. To address these issues, stakeholders proposed targeted interventions such as the Gas Intervention Fund, National LPG Awareness Program, and micro-aid credit schemes for women-led businesses to encourage cleaner energy adoption, among others. With sustained collaboration and innovative financing, Nigeria is poised to make significant progress in achieving an energy-secure and climate-resilient future.
