Author Archives: sppnigeria

At a time when climate action is beginning to gain momentum at the subnational level in Nigeria, Enugu State has embarked on an ambitious initiative that is laying the groundwork for substantial socioeconomic transformation to elevate its GDP from $4.4 billion in 2023 to $30 billion by 2031.

However, critical sectors such as agriculture, energy, and natural resources, which are essential for this economic advancement, are confronted with significant challenges exacerbated by climate change. It is imaginable that if these issues are not addressed promptly, they may hinder the state’s economic transformation objectives and worsen the vulnerabilities faced by marginalised communities and privileged groups.

In response to the pressing threats of climate change, the government has formulated the Enugu State Climate Change Policy and Action Plan (ESCPAP) to facilitate a sustainable green economic transformation that is scientific, and evidence based. This policy and action plan enhances the recently enacted Environmental and Climate Protection Law, along with various other climate initiatives in the state. In addition, a comprehensive framework that aligns economic aspirations with sustainable development principles was also integrated into the policy and action plan.

The Enugu State Climate Policy and Action Plan (ESCPAP) is a pioneering effort aimed at fostering sustainable economic growth while simultaneously addressing the challenges posed by climate change. These documents serve as a forward-thinking framework that seeks to harmonise economic development with environmental sustainability by 2060.

Grounded in scientific research, equity, and inclusivity, the Policy and Action Plan cater to the specific needs of Enugu’s economy and environment. Notably, it is the first subnational climate policy in Nigeria to incorporate long-term emissions modeling, microenergy audits, and extensive engagement with stakeholders.

Key advantages encompass: (i) integrating climate action within the economic development framework; (ii) promoting the creation of green jobs; (iii) improving climate resilience; (iv) aligning with and supporting national climate goals; (v) providing pathways for transitioning to green energy; (vi) establishing a systematic curriculum and manual for teaching climate change in the state’s premier Smart Green Schools; (vii) facilitating innovative green financing solutions; and (viii) reinforcing the institutional framework.

These initiatives align with the developmental agenda of the government currently in Enugu State, under the leadership of Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.

As a complimentary to the policy and action plan, the Climate Education Handbook, on the other hand, has been crafted by the Society for Planet and Prosperity in partnership with the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. This handbook is a collaborative effort involving Nigerian students and their teachers, and it has received validation from the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Enugu State Ministry of Education, the FCT Education Secretariat, the Department for Science, Technology and Innovation, as well as various climate NGOs and activists.

Designed as a thorough resource, the Climate Education Handbook aims to empower students, educators, and school clubs with the necessary knowledge and tools to address climate change effectively. It aligns with both global sustainability objectives and local educational priorities, preparing young individuals to emerge as climate advocates not only within their schools and communities but beyond the shorelines of Nigeria.

This significant launch event is scheduled to take place on Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Old Governor’s Lodge, located along Abakaliki Road, Enugu State.

Distinguished guests anticipated to attend include the Executive Governor of Enugu State, state government officials, representatives from the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Council on Climate Change, development partners, donor agencies, climate finance institutions, teachers and students, private sector investors in renewable energy and green enterprises, civil society organisations, academic representatives, local community leaders, and members of the media.

By Elochukwu Anieze, Senior Policy Analyst at Society for Planet and Prosperity

Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, is in partnership with the French Embassy Fund (FEF 209) project, on plastic waste management on campus.

In line with this, the university on Thursday, February 27, 2025, hosted a one-day workshop with the theme “Plastic Waste Management in AE-FUNAI”, aimed at reducing, reusing and recycling of plastic waste to create value, and support young researchers in developing solutions for a healthier environment.

AE-FUNAI was one of the five institutions of higher learning in Nigeria that won the French Embassy research grant for plastic waste management in Nigeria to combat plastic pollution and promote safer environment on campus.

Declaring the workshop open, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sunday Elom, extended his gratitude to the French government for the award, assuring that the university would work tirelessly to reduce the menace of plastic waste on campus.

The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Romanus Ejiaga, reiterated that the title of the project, “Green Campus Initiative: Transforming Plastic Waste to Wealth in AE-FUNAI Community”, encompasses elements of environmental education, community education, and entrepreneurial development that promote responsible and recycling practice on campus.

He maintained that the university is committed to a safer environment through the Campus-Green Initiative established in 2016, with the aim of making the campus more environmental- friendly and beautiful by planting trees and raising awareness about climate change.

He appreciated the coordinator of the project, Prof. Robert Onyeneke and his team for the feat, while hoping that knowledge gained at the workshop will positively transform our society.

Earlier in his welcome address titled “Transforming Plastic Waste to Wealth in AE-FUNAI”, the Project Coordinator, Prof. Robert Onyeneke, appreciated the French Embassy in Nigeria for their dedication to environmental sustainability in Nigeria and lasting collaboration with AE-FUNAI.

He noted that in AE-FUNAI and its environment, the magnitude of plastic waste is not comprehensively known as plastic waste is continuously increasing and the crises require urgent attention.

He said that the purpose of the workshop was to bring together key stakeholders in Ebonyi State, the academia, government, private sector, communities, amongst others, to share knowledge and explore practical solutions aimed at reducing plastic waste as well as promoting eco-friendly alternatives.

Prof Onyeneke further reiterated that tackling plastic waste challenge in our environment requires coordinated efforts at different levels, thereby, encouraging the masses to join hands together to address the challenge.

He extolled the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elom and his management team, for their unwavering support, adding that sustainable plastic waste management falls within the core of the Vice-Chancellor’s strategic vision of building an environmentally conscious, socially inclusive and climate-resilient university.

While giving his goodwill message, a representative of the National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Ebonyi State, Mr. Austin Nwanuforo, applauded the organisers of the workshop for availing them the opportunity to participate in the plastic waste management awareness creation, stressing that, as an agency, they have been having advocacy and sensitisation on plastic waste management.

He stated that plastic waste has been a challenge to the nation and called for all hands to be on deck to curb the crisis.

Mr. Nwanuforo, mentioned that the agency has introduced the mechanism known as R, which includes Reduce, Reuse, Recover, Repair, Redesign and Recycle, aimed at mopping out plastic waste in the society.

He added that the agency has also drafted a regulation that ensures that plastic waste management is being handled by all the stakeholders for proper management.

He assured the university of the agency’s willingness to partner with it in the area of awareness creation by introducing environmental club in the university where students will be educated properly on plastic waste management.

Presenting a lecture titled “Preventing Plastic Pollution: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, Dr. Friday Archibong stated that improper waste disposal systems and lack of awareness about sustainable waste disposal are issues surrounding our environment which, in turn, cause a lot of harm to the body.

He noted that in preventing plastic pollution, all regulatory measures from the university and the government must be put in place to stop indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste in waterways and landfills.

Contributing, Dr. Obinna Oje who spoke on “The Role of the Universities in Tackling Plastic Waste”, maintained that universities play a pivotal role in addressing plastic waste through education, research, innovation, and community service, adding that as hubs of knowledge and innovation, they are positioned to drive systemic change by placing a ban on plastic items in cafeterias, and as well install water refill stations on campus.

He enjoined students and faculty members to join hands and contribute to a sustainable future, stressing that plastic waste pollution, if not properly managed can cause health damage to lives.

While the AU’s call for reparations is morally and historically justified, it is important to not lose sight of the ultimate goal: a truly self-reliant and prosperous Africa.

The 38th AU Summit is more than a diplomatic event — it is a litmus test for Africa’s political will and commitment to growth.  While it is true that justice delayed is justice denied, we should also be conscious that justice poorly designed is sovereignty surrendered. The continent’s leaders must be intentional and leverage this moment to forge a future where Africa’s prosperity is self-determined, equitable, and unapologetically sovereign. 

African heads of state recently converged for the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of this year’s gathering, “Building a united front to advance the cause of justice and payment of reparations to Africans,” resonates deeply with the collective memory of all people of African descent resulting from centuries of exploitation from the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, neocolonialism, systemic racism and economic marginalisation. These historical injustices have resulted in persistent inequalities in global financial systems, trade structures, and governance institutions that continue to afflict the continent today.

Yet, amid the urgency of this reparations discourse, the continent stands at a historic crossroads: how can this moment be leveraged to secure not only redress for past wrongs, but also lasting sovereignty and prosperity.

While the AU’s call for reparations is morally and historically justified, it is important to not lose sight of the ultimate goal: a truly self-reliant and prosperous Africa. Reparations, whether financial or structural, must catalyse systemic change rather than perpetuate dependency. It should empower African communities to lead their own development. This was well articulated at the ongoing summit by UN Under Secretary General, Mr Claver Gatete, in his remarks at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, where he cautioned against viewing financial compensation as a panacea, and emphasising that Africa’s future hinges on structural autonomy and dismantling the entrenched barriers that limit its trade (3 per cent of global share) and manufacturing output (1 per cent) despite holding 30 per cent of the world’s mineral reserves and 65 per cent of arable land.

We must acknowledge the hard truth that there are some actors in the global North who see a truly sovereign and independent and prosperous Africa as a threat. African leaders must at all cost fight to ensure that proposed strategies and programmes to secure justice for the continent are not tied to “donor whims,” while will reinforce the cycle of servitude.

We must acknowledge the hard truth that there are some actors in the global North who see a truly sovereign and independent and prosperous Africa as a threat. African leaders must at all cost fight to ensure that proposed strategies and programmes to secure justice for the continent are not tied to “donor whims,” while will reinforce the cycle of servitude. Multilateral promises have often crumbled under Western hesitancy to support developing nations in their struggle to adapt to emerging challenges, which the West is largely responsible for. Climate change is a poignant case in point.

While Africa contributes minimally to global carbon emissions, it bears the brunt of climate disasters. Yet, rich countries have continually failed to heed Africa’s cry for sizeable finance to help it address the adaptation and loss and damage needs imposed by climate change. Many Africans watched an open show of horror as Western nations at COP29 watered-down the New Quantified Climate Finance Goal and poured cold water on the collective aspiration of the African people for climate justice. The United States of America has now gone a step further by pulling out of the Paris Agreement.

Furthermore, the recent trends in the rise of neoconservative movements, anti-immigration sentiments, weaponisation of conditional aid (exemplified by USAID tensions) have exposed the fragility of relying on external goodwill.

African leaders should seize this opportunity to strengthen regional solidarity, invest in homegrown systems and reposition the continent on a self-sufficient growth trajectory. This would put us in a stronger position to hold global actors accountable and demand for enforceable commitments.

The challenge for African leaders is clear: to transform the call for reparations from a symbolic demand into a blueprint for sovereignty. Reparative justice for the continent should not be pursued through tokenistic financial transfers, acknowledgment of historical wrongs, and cultural preservation, as the AU leader have suggested, but rather through strategies and programmes that foster long-term, transformative change, and with just a transition to the green economy placed at the centre. This means resisting the “perpetual cycle of servitude” that the 19th-century slavery abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, once warned against — a cycle in which helplessness invites pity, but never respect. As he rightly said, “Human nature is so constituted, that it cannot honour a helpless man, although it can pity him; and even this it cannot do long, if the signs of power do not arise.”

In addition, while external pressures loom, Africa cannot afford to outsource its path to prosperity. There is need for some self-introspection, as we must also do right by ourselves and address underlying challenges such as the lack of purposeful leadership and endemic corruption, which have immensely contributed to the underdevelopment of the continent. African leaders should seize this opportunity to strengthen regional solidarity, invest in homegrown systems and reposition the continent on a self-sufficient growth trajectory. This would put us in a stronger position to hold global actors accountable and demand for enforceable commitments.

The 38th AU Summit is more than a diplomatic event — it is a litmus test for Africa’s political will and commitment to growth.  While it is true that justice delayed is justice denied, we should also be conscious that justice poorly designed is sovereignty surrendered. The continent’s leaders must be intentional and leverage this moment to forge a future where Africa’s prosperity is self-determined, equitable, and unapologetically sovereign.

Chukwumerije Okereke is a professor of Global Governance and Public Policy at University of Bristol, visiting professor at the London School of Economics, UK and co-chair of Ukama Platform, a group of thought-leaders that aim to strengthen Africa-Europe relationship to achieve just sustainability transformation

The re-election of Donald Trump has thrown global climate leadership into uncertainty, with a rollback of Biden-era clean energy policies, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and a focus on fossil fuels over renewables. This moment offers Africa a critical opportunity to strengthen its partnership with Europe for green industrialisation. African policymakers must seize this opening to position the continent as a leader in the global green economy, significantly moving beyond resource extraction to industrial value creation.

Africa and Europe have long recognised the need for a mutually beneficial industrial partnership to achieve net-zero ambitions and effective climate action. However, practical measures to realise this vision have fallen short. The EU’s new Clean Industrial Deal, promised within the first 100 days of the new Commission’s mandate, presents a chance to rethink this partnership.

While the Draghi report, which foundates the deal, focuses on improving EU competitiveness, it also acknowledges the need for stronger external partnerships, particularly with Africa. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced new clean trade and investment partnerships, but how these will differ from past initiatives remains unclear.

Africa’s climate competitiveness is a key asset in this partnership. The continent’s vast renewable energy potential, coupled with its critical raw material reserves, positions it as a vital player in the global green economy. Sub-Saharan Africa is endowed with 30% of global reserves of critical raw materials. African leaders, such as Kenya’s President Ruto, have already emphasised the need to industrialise while decarbonising, reduce the cost of sustainable energy, and build green skills and jobs through initiatives like the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII).

These priorities align with Europe’s goals, but the starting points and means to achieve them differ. Africa must leverage these differences to forge complementary partnerships with Europe, ensuring that value addition and industrial jobs remain on the continent.

However, current narratives often reduce Africa to a supplier of raw materials, echoing post-colonial patterns that have historically benefited elites and foreign companies while leaving little added value for local populations. This approach erodes trust and fails to recognise Africa’s potential as a future market for intermediary or final products. For example, instead of exporting raw lithium, African countries could develop local battery manufacturing capabilities, tapping into the growing global.

In the same vein, green iron imports from countries like Namibia and South Africa, rooted in their renewable energy advantages, are not only technically feasible but economically sound. Such partnerships could transform value chains, with Africa supplying processed inputs to Europe, enhancing the competitiveness of industries like steel while creating jobs and value on the continent.

Europe’s energy scarcity further strengthens the need for Africa’s partnership. Many African countries, with their ample renewable energy resources, can offer the climate competitiveness Europe lacks. Energy-intensive industries, such as steel production, could be more efficiently located in Africa, where renewable energy is cheaper and more abundant. Technological innovations, like hydrogen direct reduced iron (HDRI) furnaces, present opportunities to locate production in countries with competitive green energy, such as those in Southern Africa. This would not only reduce costs for European industries but also accelerate global decarbonisation efforts.

Yet, one must acknowledge that challenges remain. African countries must negotiate investment partnerships that ensure fair terms and local value capture. Past deals have often favoured buyers, leaving African nations with limited benefits. To attract EU investments, African governments must develop clear, country-led industrialisation pathways and Just Energy Transition Investment Plans (JETIPs).

These plans should focus not only on export markets but also on domestic and regional markets, fostering industries like food processing, e-mobility, and textiles. African can gain EU support for this with the continent investing in skills, innovation, and technology transfer, ensuring that African economies are not just recipients of technology but active participants in the global green economy.

There are lots of potential and concrete opportunities for dialogue and partnership agreements, with the inauguration of the Green Industrialisation Initiative on the African side, a new African Union presidency coming up and a new EU commission focused on green industrialisation and competitiveness.

The upcoming AU-EU Summit in 2025 creates a momentous room for African leaders to set the tone for the future of Africa-Europe partnerships. African policymakers can ensure that green industrialisation delivers tangible benefits for their citizens by advocating for fair terms, local value addition, and regional integration. Such collaboration would allow both continents to pursue their industrial and climate goals more effectively, ensuring stable progress in the face of shifting U.S. policies and reinforcing mutual benefits in sustainable development, competitive markets, and energy security.

Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, a Professor of Global Governance and Public Policy at University of Bristol, is Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics, UK and Co-Chair of Ukama Platform, a group of thought-leaders that aim to strengthen Africa-Europe relationship to achieve just sustainability transformation