By Wilfred Sawa
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on Friday reiterated the country’s commitment to a fair and inclusive clean energy transition at the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions.
Speaking virtually at the first in-person meeting of the commission which is a sideline event of the G20 Brasil 2024 summit, Onyejeocha highlighted Nigeria’s pioneering initiatives aimed at integrating workforce development and fairness into climate policies.
In a statement issued by her Adviser on Media, Emameh Gabriel, Onyejeocha stressed that the country’s approach focuses on economic empowerment and social equity, creating opportunities for workers in emerging green jobs, such as solar installation and renewable energy.
Key initiatives outlined by the minister in her address include: “The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG), targeting 25,000 green jobs and reduced carbon emissions in the transport sector; The Labour Employment and Empowerment Program (LEEP), providing training for women and youth in green economy skills; Upskilling existing automotive technicians and mechanics to convert petrol-powered vehicles to CNG-powered ones”.
Onyejeocha stressed that Nigeria’s model serves as a blueprint for global leaders.
She said: “Climate action must be paired with economic empowerment. We must provide opportunities for our people to thrive in this new era.”
“Nigeria is fully committed to this cause and has begun taking concrete steps to ensure that the principle of fairness guides our clean energy policies, especially in protecting and empowering our workforce.
As we drive forward toward a more sustainable energy future, it is imperative that we ensure this transition leaves no one behind, particularly those whose livelihoods have been intertwined with the energy sector for decades.
“In Nigeria, our clean energy journey has received additional push 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), targets not just a reduction in carbon emissions but also the creation of 25,000 green jobs.
“The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in partnership with key stakeholders, is leading efforts to ensure our workers are adequately trained and positioned for these emerging opportunities. Existing automotive technicians and mechanics are being upskilled to convert and retrofit petrol-powered vehicles to CNG-powered ones. This move is pivotal not only for our climate goals but also for ensuring that our workers—many of whom have depended on traditional energy sectors—are not left behind in the shift to cleaner technologies, thereby creating a path to transition for them.
“Our efforts go beyond the transport sector. Under the recently launched Labour Employment and Empowerment Program (LEEP), the Federal Government is rolling out a comprehensive training initiative targeting women and youth—two groups that are often disproportionately affected by economic transitions. This program will equip them with skills to participate in the green economy, with training focused on areas such as Solar Kiosk and Solar Panels Installation, Greenhouse farming, Recycling amongst others.
“These initiatives aim to create opportunities for workers in emerging green jobs, reflecting our commitment to properly transition workers and ensure that we integrate the principle of fairness into the design of all clean energy policies. For example, women and youth are expected to make up 30-40% of those trained under LEEP,
ensuring they can take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the clean energy sector.
