The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday, April 14, 2025, inaugurated the first phase of the 400kW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plant at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital in Damaturu, the state capital.
The first phase of the 400kW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plant at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital in Damaturu
Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, said the project was aimed at boosting healthcare delivery and promoting renewable energy in the country.
Adelabu, represented by Alhaji Mamuda Mamman, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, described the project as a milestone in the implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for energy reform.
According to him, the initiative reflects the administration’s determination to ensure energy access becomes a right rather than a privilege, particularly in underserved and remote areas.
“This solar power plant reaffirms our commitment to delivering sustainable and inclusive energy solutions for socioeconomic growth.
“It will ensure that the Hospital functions with reliable and clean energy for critical operations like surgeries, equipment usage, and vaccine refrigeration,” Adelabu said.
The minister noted that the project was aligned with the Electricity Act 2023, which prioritises renewable energy adoption through decentralised systems, solar alternatives for healthcare centres, and private sector incentives such as Feed-in Tariffs.
Adelabu emphasised the importance of energy security to national development, adding that stable electricity in health institutions was non-negotiable.
He stated that the Damaturu installation was part of a broader federal strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, address climate change, and create jobs through green technology.
“Today we commission the 400kW Phase I of this project.
“We remain committed to scaling this to 1MW and replicating similar interventions across the country.
“Our goal is to power hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure with clean, reliable energy,” Adelabu added.
In his remarks, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, commended the federal government for the intervention.
Buni, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idi Gubana, said the project would significantly enhance service delivery and reduce operational costs at the hospital.
“The Yobe State University Teaching Hospital has expanded from a 250-bed to a 750-bed facility, and this solar power plant supports our efforts to provide uninterrupted energy for modern equipment and services,” he said.
Buni also highlighted other state government’s initiatives to improve healthcare, including the establishment of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YOCHMA) and the upgrading of nine health centres to general hospitals.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana, said the solar plant would support the Senator Mamman Ali Maternal and Child Health Complex, which houses advanced facilities like MRI and 3D Ultrasound machines.
“This project reflects the synergy between the state and federal governments in transforming public health infrastructure,” he said.
Recently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) directed the full implementation of the Naira-for-Crude policy for local refiners.
Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil)
The Naira-for-Crude policy entails the sale of crude oil to domestic refineries – Dangote Refinery and others in naira instead of U.S. dollars.
FEC’s resolution on the policy was conveyed by Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, who provided insights.
“Thus, the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market,” the minister said.
Policy analysts say the latest move, if expanded and enforced, could become a game-changer in the oil industry.
According to observers, under the policy, there will no more half-in, half-out arrangements; no more allowing the naira to be treated like second-class tender in its own country.
It is worthy of recall that some stakeholders, have long before FEC’s directive, canvassed for full implementation of the policy.
Sen. Ned Nwoko (APC Delta-North) had been vocal in advocating the Naira-for-Crude policy and harped on the need to create consistent, structural demand for the naira.
Nwoko had always argued that the nation could not expect the naira to gain strength if its use was not prioritised in its own economy.
According to him, optimising the naira includes paying salaries, signing contract, and of course, selling crude in naira.
Nwoko, who is the Senate Ad-hoc Committee Chairman on Crude Oil Theft, said there was need to replicate the policy across other sectors.
“We begin to build a currency that commands respect, not pity.
“More importantly, this is about economic dignity; Nigeria is the only country where foreign currencies are treated as the gold standard even within its own borders.
“Of course, this will not solve everything overnight; implementation will be key, and we have seen policies fizzle out before.
“But the tone has shifted; this is no longer a six-month experiment; this is national direction,’’ he said.
Though Nwoko’s advocacy was seen as idealistic in some quartres, he was relentless and pushed for a bill to ban the use of foreign currencies in domestic transactions, a controversial but necessary move.
His argument was that as long as landlords collected rent in dollars and expatriates got paid in pounds, the naira would continue to suffer in its own house.
In his appraisal, Mr. Peter Esele, former President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said the new FEC’s directive was a welcome development.
According to Esele, also a former President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the directive is long overdue.
‘’It is just that most times in this part of the world, we just do things arbitrarily; so, as the saying goes, it is better late than never.’’
He said that the benefits of the Naira-for-Crude scheme were enormous as the policy would strengthen the naira and help businesses to look for local currencies.
‘’It will strengthen our local currency; it will also help businesses to look for local currencies and not going about scampering for dollars, which is scarce.
‘’And one of the reasons why you have our currency moving from N1,200 to N1,300, and N1,700 at times going to almost N2,000 to the dollar is because of the demand,’’ he said.
The former labour union president added that Nigeria was the only country where certain commodities were priced in dollars.
‘’You do not go to America and then you are now pricing things in Euro; no, or you go to UK and you start pricing things in dollars.
‘’There are some real estates in Nigeria; all their prices are in dollars; it is not done anywhere.
“So, anything that is supposed to be purchased in Nigeria must be done in the local currency.
“And this is good for potential investors in refineries, knowing that they can get the crude oil supply in naira and they will not go scampering or looking for dollars; so, it is a win.
“It is beneficial to our economy and it is also beneficial to our national security.’’
Esele said that the impact of the new policy on petroleum product would however be negligible.
“Maybe two naira or three naira, but at the end of the day, it is not going to be as wide as we may think; this is because the government is selling the crude in naira; it is not selling outside of international crude oil price,’’ he said.
In the same vein, Mr. Ifidon Coker, an economist, said that the Naira-for-Crude policy mainly aimed to reduce pressure on the foreign exchange market and strengthen the naira by allowing domestic buyers to pay for crude oil in the local currency (naira) instead of in U.S. dollars.
According to Coker, economically, it has some key economic benefits which include reducing demand for foreign exchange.
“Since crude oil transactions typically require dollars, insisting on naira payments lowers the demand for dollars, helping to stabilise and possibly strengthen the naira against other currencies.
“It will improve liquidity in the naira market by encouraging large oil sector transactions in naira; the policy increases naira liquidity within the economy, making more funds available for lending and investments.
“It will also boost local industries by ensuring that domestic refineries and oil marketers can now purchase crude in naira, reducing their exposure to exchange rate fluctuations and making it easier for them to plan and operate.
“This can help Nigeria move closer to energy self-sufficiency.”
He also said that the policy would enhance monetary policy control, as with less reliance on dollars, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) could better manage inflation and other macroeconomic variables, as it reduced external shocks tied to foreign currency volatility.
“Encouragement of investment in the oil sector will bring about easier access to crude oil in local currency and encourage private investment in refining and related sectors, promoting industrialisation and job creation.
“This policy will also make for a reduction of capital flight; since transactions are done in naira, there is less incentive to move large sums of money abroad for oil trading, which can help in retaining capital within Nigeria.
“It will strengthen national economic sovereignty, because the policy will promote greater control over Nigeria’s strategic resource and reduces dependence on the dollar-dominated global oil market.
“The policy is indeed an excellent one that any good economist and concerned citizens would affirm and indeed align with.
“However, for these benefits to fully materialise, the policy must be implemented transparently, supported by adequate refining capacity, and backed by broader reforms in the oil and financial sectors,” he said.
Experts say the Naira-for-Crude policy is a laudable initiative that will lead to reduction in foreign exchange pressure, stabilisation of petroleum product prices, and in turn, a decline in food inflation.
Since Connected Development (CODE) launched its $5 million Artificial Intelligence (AI) media project, dubbed AI-Dev, to empower Nigerian journalists on how to engage with citizens and ensure that they are mobilised to push for the inclusion of AI in the post-2030 development agenda, the public is still awash with the news of this scheme and wants to know how it’s going to impact and transform the media landscape across the country. In this interview with Etta Michael Bisong, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the non-profit organisation dedicated to accountability and transparency, Malam Hamzat Lawal, sheds light on the basket fund’s purpose, particularly how donors can utilise the programme to further their objectives
Malam Hamzat Lawal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Connected Development (CODE)
What is the CODE AI project all about?
CODE is Africa’s leading civil society organisation that empowers marginalised communities. We do this by creating platforms to inform the government and citizens while holding the government to account for the citizens. For the past 13 years we have used innovative tools and approaches in engaging citizens. We also leverage our strength of convening events and partnership with the media, which has the capacity to reach out to the masses of our people.
I will be happy to mention here today that Nigerian journalists should be proud and take ownership of the success that we have achieved over the years. It is through them that we have been able to achieve what we have been achieving.
Now, talking about this initiative, the landscape of the entire conversation is now on artificial intelligence (AI). Before now, the conversation was around data. This is something we even took to the World Bank. I remember I was in Washington D.C. in 2014, meeting with leaders, informing them about policies around open data and how citizens can get data and how the World Bank is investing across the African continent. From Open Data, we went to Big Data, which has to do with how giants like Facebook and X are taking data and using it. How some machine learning algorithms are biased and how we would engage stakeholders to do fact-checking on misinformation, disinformation, etc.
Today the world is talking about AI. To jump into it, first, we said, Let’s even hear from the media practitioners – journalists, editors, newsroom managers, and investigative journalists from different spectrums, whether print, online, or broadcast – and hosted a roundtable, and we got insights and feedback about some of their challenges and how we can work together to have the challenges resolved. You can hardly see a journalist seated at a roundtable – he is always busy chasing stories. But we were able to bring them together. As we brought them together, we worked on a six-year strategic plan – 2024 to 2030.
As we are now in 2025, it means that we now have 5 years to achieve our target, which is how we do properly embed the media in the development value chain. How do we empower them with the right skills, tools and other resources that they need to seamlessly and satisfactorily carry out the tasks required of them? We launched the $5 million basket fund to take care of all of these. We will be disbursing $1 million every year until 2030.
Are other African countries captured in this scheme?
No, it is solely for the Nigerian media. The Nigerian media made CODE what it is today. So this is a way of giving back. This basket fund also creates an opportunity where donors can invest their money because it is an impact-investment initiative. We will have a board for it; we will have the management team that looks at the pitches and the criteria that must be met before the fund is awarded.
The donor landscape is changing; every donor is now going into technology and innovation and how it is affecting young people, particularly Gen Z, but a lot of them have no grasp of how to go about it; we have a platform, and we will ensure that it tallies with your vision and mission.
What are CODE’s expectations from this noble initiative?
Showing appreciation to journalists for their work over the years. And giving our work a wider reach because journalists can mass-educate and mass-inform the people using AI. In our work, citizens are at the centre, and given that Nigeria has deficits in telecommunications and technology, journalists are the right and sure bet.
How do we put citizens at the centre? It is journalists that have to create that awareness and consciousness so that citizens can increase and drive demands. The government can budget and use those resources as investment, and as they do that, journalists would continue to investigate how the government is going about it, how the resources are being utilised, and how the contracting procedures are being undertaken in a way that the citizen will be at the heart of it. When we say citizens should be at the heart, it means power should go back to the people. If there is more investment in infrastructure, citizens can give feedback in real-time where AI can analyse it and give government feedback about what the people or their communities need.
Now there is a service industry where a lot of other economies are looking for skilled labour, through which, for example, you can be in Nigeria and earn foreign exchange (FX) from the United States. We are thinking of exploring it to the benefit of our people and helping in boosting the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
As I already said, the basket fund is also a way of giving back to the press because of the tremendous things they did and are still doing to make CODE what it is today. The fund has been launched. We are now talking to partners across the board; I will also be going on a tour to meet more partners. We will be starting capacity trainings soon. We expect some of the pitches to be on capacity building for journalists on various aspects of journalism.
Ideally, the basket fund focuses on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), health, and other areas that address climate change. To make sure the initiative is carried out seamlessly, CODE has appointed a consultant, a seasoned journalist with vast knowledge in the sustainable development space, to oversee all of the processes and to ensure that the gaps between the civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media are bridged.
How long does your organisation intend to implement this programme?
It is going to run for five years – between this year and 2030. We hope that this influences what becomes the next development agenda. As you already know, from 2000 to 2015, it was Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). From 2015 to 2030, we have Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I was among the young leaders who informed what the post-2015 development agenda became when I met with Ban Ki-moon in 2014.
He met with 10 young leaders from across the world, and I was one of them. We sat across the table with him to engage on climate actions and how citizens can mobilise around the post-2015 development agenda, which is still ongoing. So we are hoping that our initiative of working with journalists should be part of what becomes the next development agenda.
Can you explain how this exercise will promote the independence of the Nigerian press?
One thing we also want to counter is the mindset of the people towards the media. If you look at the spectrum of the media and the newsroom, I think the society itself is not fair to the media. A lot is expected from them, and they deliver. Because when you meet an average journalist, their passion and commitment towards the job are what drive them. Barely is there again in it. The job is a calling, just like imams and pastors because it is the passion that drives them. I know many journalists who are not being paid. The job has no hazard allowance, despite the fact that it is highly risky. Some of them die on the job without anyone helping their families.
We are hoping to tackle some of these challenges with this initiative. In other climes, I was shocked to learn that government budget money goes to journalism organisations so that they can report independently without any backroom negotiation for control. But in Nigeria, the case is different. If you carry a story the government officials do not like, you would probably lose your contracts. So, this fund will help journalists tell the real stories because they have everything they need.
We will be having a roundtable with media owners , the government and regulators of artificial intelligence, the private sector, and then with the journalists on the field themselves as part of the initiative. We also want to have a roundtable with Gen Z to engage them on how they are using AI, what the gaps are, what the advantages are, and how we can work together to optimise things.
What are your plans for leveraging this project to improve the technical capacity of Nigeria’s media?
We will be doing a needs assessment across various media houses to identify their gaps and see how we could come in. We will come up with a questionnaire to work with. We also plan to take Nigerian journalists to other countries so that they will go and experience how the job is being done there. We will be considering Europe and America.
After we have disbursed and they have done some work, we will consider hosting a conference to showcase the works in order to share with various stakeholders.
Is this CODE’s first attempt at incorporating AI into its operations?
CODE is not new to AI. During the last election, we deployed an AI tool through which we were able to get a midday report and analysis in real-time. And that was why we were the first CSO with a report of what happened even when voting was still ongoing.
We want to build on that in other elections. We deployed the same tool in Liberia during their last election. We did the same in the U.S. when we monitored the election that brought Donald Trump into office.
What other initiatives does your organisation have in place to encourage sustainability?
We are at the moment heavily invested in climate change. We launched the Ewah Eleri Climate Change Fellowship programme, where for the past five years we have been supporting at least five journalists every year to attend United Nations’ conferences on climate change to report what negotiators are doing and what world leaders are committing to. We select journalists that are working around environment and climate change matters.
We are currently going into interfaith dialogue to bring in clerics to help us come up with scriptural messages that will help in enlightening people on the effects of climate change. We are now in a crisis because a lot of people don’t know what climate change entails. In view of the fact that a mass of our people listen to clerics, we will use them to get messages to the people on effects and how individuals can take action.
Can you tell us more about Follow the Money (FTM) and its impact since its inception?
Our Follow the Money campaign is now in 12 African countries. We have over 35 thousand young people on our platform. We are hoping to conquer Africa before 2030. In each of the 12 countries, we have secretaries-general and country directors. We are hoping to host an African-wide Follow the Money at 15 in 2027 in Abuja, where it started.
Given the country’s digital divide, how does your organisation interact with people in remote areas?
Follow the Money started in a rural area in 2014, in a community known as Bagega. I went on a motorbike. It took me four and a half hours to get there from Anka in Zamfara State. In Bagega at that time, there was no mobile network; it was a forest, and they got their drinking water from a stream. It was as if civilisation had left them behind. But, today, because of our intervention, there is a dual-carriage tarred road to the community. There is now potable water and telecommunication networks.
They even have state-of-the-art primary schools equipped with computers that are connected to the internet. Today, we have Follow the Money volunteers in all the 36 states and in over 400 LGAs. We want to conquer all the LGAs in the country so that we can cover everywhere.
What has been the government attitude and response towards the activities of CODE?
Before now, we were not having the needed support. But now we have the officials in our town hall meetings and stakeholders’ engagements.
Can you describe your obstacles?
Access to some communities because of the pockets of insecurity and access to data. That is why we sat down with the Minister for Budget and Planning and the Director General of the Bureau of Statistics to see how they can access our own data because we also generate and collate data. We also want to access their data, analyse it and make it attractive and understandable to the citizens so that they would learn what the government is doing.
We also engage with an aide to the president on policy, Hadiza Bala Usman, in ways of exploring collaborations.
With the announcement of this life-changing endeavour, what advise would you give Nigerian media practitioners?
My message to the Nigerian journalists is that they should remain resilient. I also want to thank them for their commitments and their role in shaping the narrative of democracy. It is my hope that their works will even outlive them, and their names will be written in gold when the history of our country is written someday.
A Nigerian-energy company, Walcot Group, and Angolan National Agency for Petroleum, Gas, and Biofuels (ANPG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Production Sharing Contract (PSC) to bolster Nigeria-Angola bilateral cooperation.
R-L: Christopher Nwabueze and Alcides Andrade during the signing ceremony in Luanda, Angola.
The Managing-Director of Walcot Group, Suleman Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Abuja.
He said that the MoU would boost trade relations between the two countries in the oil and gas sector.
He said the agreement resulted from the company’s successful bid for three oil blocks within a competitive international licensing round.
Mohammed said the step would expand the organisation’s footprint across Africa’s high-potential energy basins.
He said that the agreement was signed in Luanda by the Founder and President of Walcot Group, Christopher Nwuabueze, and the ANPG’s Executive Administrator, Alcides Andrade.
Nwabueze described the move as a transformative moment for Walcot Group, “as we deepen our presence in Africa’s energy landscape.
“We are excited to partner Angola’s government and the ANPG, to unlock the potential of these blocks, driving value for stakeholders and supporting regional energy security.
“The PSC entails Walcot Group will secure full operator-ship of Block CON-3 and Block CON-7 in the Lower Congo Basins with 100 per cent participation interest in both blocks.
“CON-3 spanned 723.37 km² with estimated prospective oil resources of 1.25 billion barrels, featuring Pre-salt and Post-salt structures.
“CON-7 covered 744.77 km² with estimated prospective oil resources that range from 710 million to 1.15 billion barrels, supported by rich source rocks and nearby commercial discoveries.”
Nwabueze added that, for block KON-13, Walcot Group would take a 10 per cent stake in the Kwanza Onshore Basin.
“This is alongside Angola National Oil Company Sonangol, Effimax Energy and Oando Energy Resources as operators with prospective resources ranging from 770 million to 1.1 billion barrels,” he said.
The Walcot boss said that Angola aimed to maintain its oil output at 1.1 million barrels per day by 2027 and double it in the long term.
Nwuabueze added that ANPG viewed Walcot partnership as a boost to its upstream ambitions.
“The Lower Congo and Kwanza Basins, known for their prolific geology, offer Walcot a prime opportunity to apply its technical expertise and sustainable practices.
“This will align with the company’s broader goal of fostering economic growth across the continent,” he said.
The event attended by Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to Angola, Rebekkah Galadima, among others, was designed to strengthen Nigeria-Angola economic ties.
Biodun Oyebanji, Governor of Ekiti State; Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power; Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited; and Mrs. Elohor Aiboni, the immediate past and first female Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), were among top energy stakeholders honoured at the second edition of the Energy Times’ Award.
Some dignitaries at the Energy Times Award ceremony in Lagos
The event, held in Lagos on Friday, April 11, 2025, celebrated outstanding individuals and institutions driving excellence and innovation across Nigeria’s energy sector.
Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, received the prestigious Energy Icon of the Year award for his impactful leadership in delivering sustainable energy solutions across Nigeria and Africa.
Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, CEO of First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (First E&P), was named Industry Personality of the Year for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s oil and gas sub-sector.
His recent appointment as Nigeria’s Governor to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and his subsequent emergence as Chairman of the OPEC Board of Governors for 2025, were highlighted.
Jennifer Adighije, Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), received the Young Achiever of the Year award for successfully restoring two previously offline turbine units, thereby adding 230MW to Nigeria’s power generation capacity.
NIPCO Gas Limited was honoured with the Award for Pioneering Nigeria’s Gas Revolution, in recognition of its leading role in the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to support cleaner energy for automobiles and industries.
Chief Chamberlain Oyibo was named Doyen of Nigeria’s Oil Industry for his long-standing influence and contributions to the sector.
Mele Kyari clinched the Man of the Year award for his significant achievements during his tenure as GCEO of NNPC Ltd, notably the revival of the 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) Warri Refinery, the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery, among other milestones.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State was named Energy Governor of the Year for his proactive efforts in improving power infrastructure, including granting operational licences to 14 electricity investors to enhance power generation, transmission, and distribution in the state.
Comrade Festus Osifo, President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), was honoured as Labour Leader of the Year for his pivotal role in advocating for the N70,000 minimum wage approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote received the Achiever of the Year award for his unwavering commitment to the establishment and operationalisation of the 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant in Lekki, Lagos.
Dr. Daere Akobo, Chairman of PANA Holdings, emerged as Visionary CEO of the Year for his strategic foresight in steering his company’s remarkable growth.
Ikeja Electric was awarded DisCo of the Year for its strong infrastructure development and customer-centric initiatives, including the installation of nearly one million prepaid meters in 2024 – an achievement unmatched by other distribution companies.
Olu Femi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, received an Award of Excellence for fostering transparent engagement with energy journalists and enhancing the company’s brand visibility and stakeholder relations.
Folake Soetan, CEO of Ikeja Electric, was honoured as Amazon of the Nigerian Power Sector for her exemplary leadership in transforming the utility company.
Mrs. Rekhiat Momoh, Acting Managing Director of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), was named Power Sector CEO of the Year for her exceptional performance since assuming office in 2024.
Under her leadership, EKEDC’s revenue collection surged to N36.69 billion from N16.82 billion, while the Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses dropped from 17.01% to 10.51%.
Andy Odeh, former General Manager, External Relations and Regulatory Compliance at Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), was also presented with an Award of Excellence for several notable achievements, including successfully leading NLNG’s rebranding initiative, which featured a new logo, payoff line, and purpose statement.
Alhaji Yakubu Lawal, Editorial Board Chairman of Energy Times, stated that the publication’s annual award ceremony is dedicated to celebrating individuals and organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria’s energy sector.
Alhaji Lawal further emphasised that Energy Times maintains strong editorial integrity, which is focused on addressing key issues within the energy industry.
He added that the platform continues to leverage the power of the media to influence and shape government policies that support sustainable growth across the sector.
Speakers from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Coca-Cola Company, Lafarge Africa and Polysmart Group are set to lead brainstorming on decarbonisation of waste recycling and co-processing for sustainable climate action.
University of Lagos, Akoka
This is contained in a statement by the Head of Communication Unit of UNILAG, Mrs. Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
Alaga-Ibraheem said that the discussions would be at a seminar being planned by the university for April 22 at the Rahamon Bello Hall, UNILAG.
She said that the seminar was aimed at addressing challenges posed by 32 million tonnes of waste generated annually by Nigeria.
The seminar has ‘‘Sustainable Climate Action in Nigeria Through Waste Decarbonisation and Co-processing Technology” as its theme.
Alaga-Ibraheem said: “The intellectual engagement is a timely intervention organised by the UNILAG Research Group, including the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management.
“It is aimed at exploring innovative solutions for sustainable waste management, discuss co-processing and advanced recycling as transformative tools for climate resilience and resource efficiency.
“The seminar will examine the role of research and development in driving sustainable waste technologies,” she said.
Alaga-Ibraheem noted the seminar would provide industrial opportunities in co-processing and recycling for climate mitigation.
She added that it would facilitate technology transfer and public-private partnerships for long-term impact.
“The seminar will adopt a multi-stakeholder engagement approach. The expert panels and technical sessions will offer insights into the science, economics and policy dimensions of waste innovation.
“There will also be networking forums to foster collaboration among the academia, industry and government, and policy roundtables will hold to examine regulatory gaps, incentives and reform needs,” Alaga-Ibraheem said.
She said that the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, would be the chief host, while the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Prof. Bola Oboh, would be the host.
“Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Babajide Alo, will be the keynote speaker.
“Prof. Lucian Chukwu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), UNILAG, and Prof. Sunday Adebisi, Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, UNILAG, will be joining a host of other speakers.
“The other speakers include Mrs. Amaka Onemelukwe, Senior Director at the Coca-Cola Company; Mr. Dada Adedokun, Head of Geocycle at Lafarge Africa Plc.; and Mr. Wasiu Abolaji Balogun, Managing Director, Polysmart Group,” added Alaga-Ibraheem.
Environmentalists have asked for more public education so that Nigeria can meet its obligations under the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment.
Participants during the workshop hosted by SRADeV Nigeria and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA, UK) in Abuja
The experts made the request on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Abuja, during a stakeholders workshop organised by the Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV – Nigeria) with support from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA, UK).
According to them, by raising public awareness, Nigeria can effectively reduce ozone-depleting emissions and encourage sustainable habits that would protect the environment for future generations.
Professor Innocent Barikor, Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA), told the participants at the event that, as Nigeria’s lead agency for environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement, his organisation is committed to implementing policies and regulations that protect the environment from pollutants such as fluorinated gases (F-gases) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
The DG, represented by Elijah Udofia, the Director of Environmental Quality Control, stated that NESREA’s efforts to collaborate with relevant ministries, agencies, and development partners have consistently promoted cleaner and more sustainable environmental practices across various sectors.
“Achieving meaningful progress requires collective action in adopting innovative technologies, strengthening regulatory frameworks, raising public awareness, and encouraging private sector participation in the transition to environmentally friendly alternatives,” he added.
The workshop, in his view, therefore presents a critical platform to deliberate on practical solutions, share best practices, and accelerate implementation strategies towards reducing these harmful emissions.
Professor Barikor praised SRADev Nigeria and the project’s financier, EIA UK, for facilitating the dialogue, assuring that NESREA would continue to provide the necessary technical and regulatory support to ensure Nigeria meets its commitments under international environmental treaties while also promoting economic and social development.
He urged the attendees to keep in mind that the decisions they make today will have a long-term effect on environmental resilience, public health, and the planet’s sustainability.
“Together, we can advance a cleaner, healthier, and more climate-resilient Nigeria,” the NESREA boss said.
While also commending the issue, Nigeria’s Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change, Yusuf Kelani, identified education and strong climate-related law enforcement as the most effective measures to addressing Nigeria’s expanding environmental concerns.
According to the presidential aide, raising awareness at a young age will enable future generations to better comprehend and alleviate the effects of climate change while also encouraging sustainable practices.
“We believe that from an early age, people need to understand what climate change is about, its effects, and the role they can play in protecting the environment,” Kelani said.
He also discussed an initiative his office is working on, which intends to nominate at least two climate change ambassadors for each of Nigeria’s local government areas by the end of the year.
This programme, Kelani elaborated, would help ensure that climate change discussions are promoted at the grassroots level, fostering local ownership and engagement on environmental stewardship.
Speaking about the exercise’s goal, SRADev Nigeria Executive Director, Dr. Leslie Adogame, alluded to the fact that it represents a major turning point in the country’s overall progress towards environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
This programme, he explained, is intended to support and amplify the Nigerian government’s ongoing efforts to transition to low Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternatives, thereby lowering the environmental and public health risks associated with Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-gases) and Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS).
Dr. Adogame hinted that the project, which is focuses on “promoting fast action to reduce emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in Nigeria”, will include conducting comprehensive assessments, increasing stakeholder engagement, and building capacity and awareness.
The executive director of SRADev said Nigeria has demonstrated unwavering commitment to international environmental agreements, notably the Montreal Protocol and its subsequent amendments.
According to him, the government’s proactive measures include the phased reduction of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), with a target to phase out 51.35% of HCFC consumption by the end of this year.
He went on to say that initiatives like the AGORA project have been launched to promote energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling technologies.
However, despite these commendable efforts, he acknowledged that challenges persist in fully transitioning to low GWP alternatives.
“Our project seeks to bridge these gaps by providing the necessary support through awareness, capacity building and robust stakeholder engagement to accelerate the adoption of sustainable technologies and practices,” Dr. Adogame stated.
As stakeholders embark on this critical endeavour, it is important to reaffirm their collective commitment to safeguarding the environment for present and future generations. This is because, through collaborative action, informed policy-making, and dedicated advocacy, Nigeria can achieve significant reductions in F-gas and ODS emissions, contributing to a healthier planet and a more sustainable nation.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called on African nations to take strategic positions in the global energy transition by shifting from raw mineral exports to processing and value addition.
AfDB president, Akinwunmi Adesina
The AfDB President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, in a statement on Sunday, April 13, 2025, reiterated Africa’s crucial role in supplying strategic minerals needed for clean energy technologies.
“Africa is rich in critical minerals such as cobalt, bauxite, manganese, and vanadium. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone produces 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt.
“Africa must learn from countries like Indonesia, China, and Chile, which have successfully integrated into global value chains through deliberate policies.
“Indonesia banned raw nickel exports and mandated domestic processing, boosting downstream industries.
“China, which controls over 80 per cent of global refining capacity, used policy coordination and infrastructure investment to dominate the mineral processing industry,” he said.
According to Adesina, Nigeria has the potential to become a key player in solar panel production due to the local availability of required minerals and relatively low production costs.
He stressed the need for a clear critical minerals industrial policy to harness this potential and drive local manufacturing.
To ensure Africa’s competitiveness in the global energy transition, Adesina outlined five priority areas.
“They are: massive investment in energy infrastructure, development of critical minerals, industrialisation linked to clean energy, sound regulatory frameworks, and strong governance and community rights protection.”
He said that the AfDB, in collaboration with the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa, was currently developing an African Green Minerals Strategy to guide these efforts.
Speaking on the rising cost of capital for African economies, Adesina lamented the persistent “Africa risk premium,” which results in investors facing three to five times higher costs than elsewhere.
“This perception is unfair. While Africa has risks, they are not higher than those in other regions. Misperception drives up capital costs and limits development financing,” he said.
He cited a UNDP report estimating that correcting this perception could save Africa 75 billion dollars annually in debt financing.
To address this, he said the African Union had approved the creation of the African Credit Rating Agency, which wiuld be professionally ran and provide objective credit risk assessments tailored to Africa’s real economic conditions.
In addition, Adesina announced the inauguration of the Africa Financing Stability Mechanism, developed by the AfDB at the request of the African Union, to provide financial safety nets for African countries.
“When fully operational, the mechanism will help refinance at least 10 billion dollars annually in debt service payments for the next decade,” he said.
Adesina reaffirmed the AfDB’s commitment to supporting Africa’s development through initiatives that” promote industrialisation, fair investment opportunities, and financial stability.”
The number of fungi species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ has surpassed 1,000, confirming that deforestation, agricultural expansion and urban development are driving these species to decline worldwide. The update also reveals that frankincense trees face an increasing risk of extinction, and new Green Status assessments show the impact of conservation on species including the lion.
Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General
The IUCN Red List now includes 169,420 species, of which 47,187 are threatened with extinction. The addition of 482 newly assessed fungi species brings their number on the IUCN Red List to 1,300, of which at least 411 are at risk of extinction.
“Fungi are the unsung heroes of life on Earth, forming the very foundation of healthy ecosystems – yet they have long been overlooked. Thanks to the dedication of experts and citizen scientists, we have taken a vital step forward: over 1,000 of the world’s 155,000 known fungal species have now been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the most comprehensive source of information on extinction risk. Now, it’s time to turn this knowledge into action and safeguard the extraordinary fungal kingdom, whose vast underground networks sustain nature and life as we know it,” said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General.
Rapid growth of agricultural and urban areas has replaced fungi habitats, putting 279 species at risk of extinction. Nitrogen and ammonia run-off from fertilisers and engine pollution also threaten 91 species. These are serious threats in Europe, impacting species that are well-known in traditional countryside such as the Vulnerable fibrous waxcap (Hygrocybe intermedia).
At least 198 species of fungi are at risk of extinction due to deforestation for timber production, illegal logging, and clearing for agriculture. Clear-cutting of old-growth forests is especially damaging, destroying fungi that do not have time to re-establish with rotation forestry. Thirty per cent of old-growth pine forests across Finland, Sweden and Russia have been cut down since 1975, pushing species such as giant knight (Tricholoma colossus) to become Vulnerable.
Climate change is impacting fungi. Over 50 fungi species are at risk of extinction due to changes in fire patterns in the USA, which have drastically changed forests. Firs have grown to dominate the high Sierra Nevada mountain woods since 1980, reducing habitat for Endangered Gastroboletus citrinobrunneus.
“While fungi mainly live hidden underground and inside wood, their loss impacts the life above-ground that depends on them. As we lose fungi, we impoverish the ecosystem services and resilience they provide, from drought and pathogen resistance in crops and trees to storing carbon in the soil,” said Professor Anders Dahlberg, Red List Authority Coordinator of the IUCN SSC Mushroom, Bracket and Puffball Specialist Group. “It is important that more old-growth forests are protected. Forestry practices should consider fungi, for example leaving dead wood and scattered trees, and proactive forest management can help manage fire intensity.”
Fungi constitute their own kingdom, distinct from animals and plants. They are the second biggest kingdom after animals, with an estimated 2.5 million species, of which around 155,000 are named. They underpin all ecosystems; most plants partner with fungi to take in nutrients, and therefore cannot exist without them, and they make decomposition possible. Many are edible, used in food and drink production including fermentation, form the basis of medicines, and support bioremediation efforts to clean contaminated sites.
Local action holds solutions as frankincense trees move closer to extinction
This update reveals that five species of frankincense (Boswellia) on Socotra Island, Yemen, have moved from Vulnerable to Endangered, one from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered, and three species have been assessed for the first time as Critically Endangered. Saplings are grazed on by goats, and struggle to flourish in prolonged droughts. While goats have been part of Socotra’s herder tradition for thousands of years, the decline of traditional rotational grazing and the growing size of herds in the past century have increased foraging pressure. More frequent and intense cyclones, flash floods and landslides, such as those seen in 2015 and 2018, have damaged and uprooted many trees.
“Frankincense trees are very important to our culture on Socotra, which is home to the highest diversity of frankincense species per square kilometre in the world. Through building fences around young trees, local communities can protect them from goats, and produce frankincense honey for additional income. As extreme weather hits the island, local action is essential to secure the future of Socotra’s frankincense trees,” said Mr. Mohammed Amer, local Boswellia expert who contributed to the Red List assessments and manages the project to conserve these trees on Socotra.
One of the most valuable commodities of the ancient world, today the use of frankincense is well-managed on Socotra. Indigenous people use the resin and bark, for example in traditional medicine and religious practices. It is essential that the use of Socotra’s frankincense remains local and proportionate to the rarity of the trees.
Green Status shows lion needs intensified conservation
There are now over 100 IUCN Green Status of Species assessments on the IUCN Red List. The Green Status complements the IUCN Red List by providing a tool for assessing the recovery of species and measuring their conservation success. The first Green Status assessment for the lion (Panthera leo) shows that it is Largely Depleted, while the species remains Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
The Green Status assessment shows that human impacts are preventing the lion from being fully ecologically functional across its range, as the species declines across large areas and is extinct from North Africa and Southwest Asia. However, the assessment also shows that conservation has prevented likely extinctions from West and Southern Central Africa, South Africa and India. Intensified efforts are needed to maintain the existing population as human settlements across its range continue to grow.
“The latest update of the IUCN Red List features new and revised assessments of Socotran frankincense trees (Boswellia), once again emphasising that tropical islands host the highest proportion of threatened tree species worldwide. Meanwhile, significant local conservation efforts are being implemented to protect these vital multi-purpose trees and promote their sustainable use,” said Dr Malin Rivers, Head of Conservation Prioritisation at Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
“Frankincense trees symbolise the uniqueness of Socotran biodiversity and the status of the island as a World Heritage site. But, like many other tree species around the world, these iconic trees face several threats, in particular from livestock. Since 2020, Fondation Franklinia has been supporting work on the ground by local dedicated people using several approaches to protect the seedlings; it is not good news to see that the situation keeps deteriorating.
“To save these species, it is urgent to reduce grazing impacts and focus on traditional sustainable grazing practices. That is probably the only way for Socotran people’s children to continue to enjoy their unique natural heritage,” said Jean-Christophe Vié, Director General of Fondation Franklinia, which has supported the Boswellia Red List assessments and conservation action for these species.
“Fungi are a vital yet often invisible part of biodiversity, supporting ecosystems in ways we are only beginning to understand. The addition of 1,000 fungal species to the IUCN Red List highlights their importance – and the urgent threats they face. With better data, we can take meaningful action to protect fungi, ensuring the health of the plants, animals, and ecosystems that depend on them,” said Dr Anne Bowser, Chief Executive Officer at NatureServe.
“It’s encouraging to have more than 100 IUCN Green Status of Species assessments published only three years after it was introduced as a new global standard, with hundreds more in the pipeline. The example of the lion demonstrates the power that the additional Green Status data provides, given that we now have data about where local extinction was likely prevented due to conservation efforts, which can help with future strategies to protect and recover the species,” said Dr Barney Long, Senior Director of Conservation Strategies for Re:wild.
“Kew mycologists are celebrating the fungal focus of the latest IUCN Red List update. This increase in representation of fungi on the Red List results from many years of collaborative work in building capacity of the mycological community to conduct fungal assessments. Kew is contributing to this global effort by assessing species and developing tools to accelerate Red Listing of fungi. More assessments are urgently needed across all fungal groups, to identify and mitigate the extinction risks faced by fungi,” said Susana Cunha, PhD student working on fungal conservation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has engaged Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on disability-inclusive climate change policy review in Abia State.
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State
The one-day workshop, which held in Umuahia, the state capital, had participants drawn from different disability clusters in the state.
It was organised in collaboration with Abia State Commission for the Welfare of the Disabled Persons, with support from the Disability Rights Fund.
The Acting Director of CCD, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, said that the purpose of the workshop was to ensure that the perspectives on issues of PWDs were adequately captured in the “Abia State Climate Change Policy”,
He commended Abia State Government for the policy, while describing the state “as a pacesetter on issues of PWDs in every facet of life.”
Unumeri said that the policy was at the draft stage, adding that the organisation would ensure that all the inputs by the stakeholders would be reflected in the final document.
Unumeri said that CCD is an organisation that was founded to ensure that issues of PWDs and their families were brought into policies, programmes and activities across the country.
“PWDs are poorest of the poor and if you are developing a policy for a people who are largely not educated, you have to be very explicit,” he said.
The chairman of the commission, Mr. David Anyaele, said that the commission was designed to support the welfare of PWDs in Abia.
He noted that the commission was saddled with the responsibility of formulating policies and guidelines that would support disability mainstreaming in the activities of the state and non-state institutions.
Anyaele, who is also the Special Assistant to the Governor on Persons with Disabilities, said that the purpose of the workshop was to develop and review existing climate change policies to ensure inclusivity of PWDs.
“All over the world, the climate is changing and the PWDs are particularly vulnerable to this incidence.
“As a commission, we will ensure that the state response around climate change are all-inclusive where issues of PWDs are factored in,” Anyaele submitted.
He thanked CCD for choosing to bring the intervention to Abia and Gov. Alex Otti, for ensuring that issues concerning PWDs were mainstreamed in his administration.
The facilitator, Mrs. Esther Ajah, said that the purpose of the policy review was to ensure that the vulnerable groups, particularly PWDs, were perfectly captured in the low carbon economy transitioning of the state.
Ajah, the Special Assistant to Gov. Alex Otti on Climate Change and Sustainability, explained that it was to let the PWDs go through the policy, see how it affected them and give them a sense of belonging.
She said that there would be a second review of the policy and promised that issues of PWDs would be incorporated into the policy when it was done.
A participant, Mr. Iroabuchi Alozie, who is the State Chairman of Persons with Physical Disabilities, thanked CCD and the commission for being in the forefront towards getting the climate change policy initiated for PWDs.
“I’m hopeful that by the time it becomes a policy, duly signed by the governor, it is going to change the lot of PWDs in Abia,” he said.
In 2024, the CCD conducted a research on inclusive-climate change mitigation and adaptation for PWDs in Abia.
