Stakeholders Urge Nigeria to Avoid Past Energy Mistakes

Stakeholders have cautioned the Nigerian federal government against repeating the environmental and social failures experienced in the Niger Delta as the country expands its investments in renewable energy, green hydrogen, battery storage, and critical minerals. This warning was issued in a 12-point communiqué by 25 organizations following a two-day multi-stakeholder policy lab on enhancing Nigeria's Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) framework for a just energy transition.

The meeting, organized by the CLEEN Foundation with support from Heinrich Boll Stiftung, took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The stakeholders called for urgent reforms to Nigeria's environmental assessment system, advocating for continuous monitoring and equitable benefit distribution.

Dr Salaudeen Hashim, Programme Director at CLEEN Foundation, highlighted the inadequacies of the current environmental assessment law from 1992, stressing the need for modernization to address contemporary issues such as climate change and community participation. He emphasized the importance of stronger monitoring, compliance, and legislative reform to ensure that host communities benefit from energy projects.