Energy transition: Nigeria to benefit as U.S. pledges $200m for clean energy initiative
…Programme will solve climate crisis, create jobs for Nigerians — Kerry
By Uthman Salami
The United States (U.S.) has said it would commit $200 million to assist Nigeria and other countries to enhance rapid transition to clean energy economies.
The U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry made this disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi.
He said the support, captured under the U.S. Clean Energy Demand Initiative, would enable countries to implement the buying and production of green products.
Kerry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Minister on the initiative, stressing that the programme would also help to address the climate crisis and create jobs for Nigerians.
“The initiative is also to accelerate the marketplace creation so that it will help the transition programme faster and help to achieve a clean energy economy as well as dealing with the climate crisis,” he said.
“We have $200 million at the moment committed to the startup in the process of safety for the programme. But we know that ultimately this transition is going to take billions of dollars and even trillions of private investment.
“We talked today about the ways in which we can be helpful to bring a major amount of capital to the table with technology to help Nigeria move faster to the clean energy economy. That is the future and all of the citizens of Nigeria will benefit from cleaner air.”
Kerry said the U.S. hopes to assist Nigeria in achieving the goals set out in its nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
He said Nigeria is taking the lead in tackling climate change and that the clean energy initiative will help in pushing Nigerian businesses forward.
“As you also think about the long-term future and sustainability for Nigeria and for Africa, we will like to explore with you on how we can increase the ambition that you have set out already in your Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); the plans of the National Council on climate change recognising that Nigeria is a very important country with respect to the crisis that we face,” Kerry said.
“You are a producer of fossil fuel you have enormous gas reserves. But you also have great respect for the land and great concern about how to proceed forward. And so I would like to explore with you and listen to you to think through how we can work together as you implement your own climate change.”
Speaking, the Minister thanked the US Government for considering Nigeria as one of the countries to participate in the Clean Energy Demand Initiative.
He said the crux of the initiative was to ensure healthy and clean energy accessibility in the country.
He said the Ministry is committed to working with the U.S. Government for the effective implementation of environmental programmes and to achieve net zero in Nigeria.
“Basically we agreed that there is a need for us to work together. We don’t have a different perspective. We want to also jump on this train, unfortunately we don’t have the funding and technology and ask for the help of the United States and the global community to help us to very quickly jump on the train and achieve the goals that Mr. President set for us.
“We have set our net zero target for 2060 that working together we would be able to achieve this maybe even before 2060. We agree on the climate change issue. We seek United States support to help us,” he said.
