Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s push for a people-centered green economy reached a pivotal moment on Tuesday as key government officials, UN partners, labour unions, and civil society groups converged in Port Harcourt for the final stakeholders’ consultation workshop on the Just Transition Guideline for the country.
Speaking, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, NCCCS, and Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, said the Federal Government remains committed to a low-carbon economy through a people-centered just transition framework that safeguards livelihoods and drives economic diversification.
According to her, the development of the Just Transition Guideline aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under its Nationally Determined Contributions, the Climate Change Act, and the National Development Plan, all of which prioritize sustainable economic growth in line with global climate goals.
She said, “Just Transition is about ensuring that as we move towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient future, no one is left behind. We must proactively create decent green jobs while protecting existing livelihoods. It’s about empowering our workforce with new skills and safeguarding vulnerable communities against disruptions.”
The event featured urgent calls from labour leaders and climate experts for stronger government action on fossil fuel revenue use, green job creation, and formal inclusion of workers in the energy transition process.
The session, organized with support from the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, International Labour Organization, ILO, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO, marked the conclusion of a national consultation process that had earlier stops in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano.
“The Just Transition is about ensuring our wealth of natural resources continues to fuel development, while empowering our people and safeguarding vulnerable communities,” Dr. Maduekwe added.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations system in Nigeria, Stephen Agugua, lauded the process and reiterated international backing for Nigeria’s Just Transition agenda, stressing the urgency of an actionable national framework.
“The overall aim is to guide all sectors toward a sustainable and equitable future that emphasizes ‘leave no one behind’, this is not just a policy exercise, it’s about jobs, justice, and survival.”
Agugua noted that 49 countries globally have committed to placing employment at the heart of climate action, in line with the Paris Agreement’s call for a just transition of the workforce.
Labour stakeholders seized the moment to demand firmer guarantees from government, as Comrade John Moses, Climate Focal Person of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, called for the immediate inclusion of trade unions in transition planning through a formal commission.
“The workplace is the natural site for climate change. Most of the emissions happen there, and workers bear the burden. Decent work pillars must be at the heart of Nigeria’s Just Transition Guideline.”
The NLC presented policy briefs and a Climate Justice Strategic Action Plan and reiterated the need for a Just Transition Commission, with labour representation to monitor implementation.
Meanwhile, energy experts emphasized that Nigeria must use its fossil fuel revenues wisely while preparing for a clean energy future.
Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo, a retired professor of climatology, warned against premature divestment from oil and gas without first securing national development goals.
“As much as the world is moving to cleaner energy, we in Nigeria still need to use fossil fuels to develop our country. The government should use funds from fossil fuels to invest in renewables.”
He added that natural gas, due to its lower emissions, should play a critical role in Nigeria’s interim energy mix.
Echoing this, Dr. Moses Bereiweriso, Head of the Oil Spill Clean-up Unit in the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, stated: “We cannot cut energy use yet; in fact, our energy consumption will increase. But that’s exactly why we must transition to greener sources, to reduce pollution and protect health.”
The Just Transition Guideline, once validated, is expected to serve as a national policy tool to ensure that climate action delivers social and economic benefits equitably across Nigeria’s diverse communities and sectors.
