The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has cautioned Nigeria against the management of energy transition .
Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji,expressed this during the presentation of the interim report on the impact of energy transition on Nigeria’s economy.
He emphasized that the transition, if not properly managed, could weaken Nigeria’s fiscal base, threaten employment and infrastructure, and deepen energy poverty at a time when 86 million Nigerians still lack access to electricity.
According to him, the global shift from fossil fuels to renewables is inevitable and will have profound implications for Nigeria’s fiscal planning, job market, infrastructure, and host communities.
He further stated that the interim study was commissioned to integrate climate and energy transition disclosures into NEITI’s reporting framework, to track emissions, identify stranded assets, and highlight gaps in energy access.
He emphasised that the study is designed to expose policy gaps and amplify community voices, mobilise civil society to protect vulnerable groups including women and youth, guide the NEITI Board to embed transition metrics into EITI reporting, and engage academia and industry in finding a balance between profitability and sustainability.
He said that for this study to have real impact, every stakeholder must play their part.
He urged the media to serve as investigators and amplifiers, simplifying the report’s findings for public understanding, exposing the gaps between research recommendations and policy implementation, and amplifying community voices to ensure that no group is left behind.
He described civil society as advocates and guardians of justice who must mobilise citizens to demand transparency, spotlight gaps between study outcomes and government action, and fight for the protection of vulnerable groups while pressing for climate and environmental justice.
He also implored the NEITI Board, as policy anchors, to ensure that climate and transition issues remain firmly integrated with EITI reporting, to guide institutional responses to the study’s findings, and to continue championing Nigeria’s voice in both national and global transition debates.
He affirmed that the completed study will inform reforms in policy and empower citizens to hold both authorities and companies accountable for commitments made in the transition process.
He also called on government, industry, and civil society to demand equal access to global climate finance, technology transfer, and climate justice, noting Africa’s minimal contribution to global emissions but disproportionate burden in the energy transition.
The Alternate Chair of the NEITI Board, Ambassador Matthew Adoli, thanked civil society for its pivotal role in driving the implementation of global transparency standards, particularly in relation to the energy transition. He described the issue as critical to Nigeria’s survival, especially for gas-dependent economies.
Tengi George Ikoli, Country Manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), urged inclusivity and participation, stressing that communities, youth, and women must not be left behind in the transition. She pledged NRGI’s continued support for government and corporate accountability.
Mr. Bassey Udo, Chairman of the Media Initiative for Transparency in Extractive Industries, affirmed the media’s vital role in amplifying NEITI’s engagement, pledging sustained coverage to ensure the study informs public discourse and policy action.
The consultant on the project, Dr. Friday Ohuche, presented sections of the report and provided sobering data on the potential revenue losses and budget deficits Nigeria risks if it fails to move with the global race for renewable energy.
