Geologist and climate technology advocate, Blessing Chukwuifunanya Osondu, has emphasised that Nigeria’s current Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which targets net-zero emissions by 2060 and universal access to modern energy by 2030, though commendable, lacks the technological aggressiveness required to confront the nation’s accelerating climate crisis.
Osondu made this statement on Wednesday in response to the remarks of the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, during the first West African Science and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) International Conference on Climate Change and Just Energy Transition held in Abuja.
At the conference, the minister stated, “Through a developed Energy Transition Plan, Nigeria aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 while ensuring universal access to modern energy by 2030.
The Climate Change Act provides the legal foundation for these ambitions, while the pioneering Green Bond Programme demonstrates how innovative finance can drive sustainable development.”Reacting, Osondu noted that while these long-term policies provide a solid foundation, Nigeria’s climate agenda must integrate real-time data analytics, renewable energy innovation, and digital monitoring frameworks to address the immediate, day-to-day environmental challenges facing the country.
“It is not enough to set long-term goals. We need short-term, tech-driven climate actions, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered carbon tracking, satellite-based deforestation monitoring, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart grids, and digital systems for pollution reporting,” she said.
Osondu explained that climate change is no longer just an environmental issue but a tech-economic, political, and social challenge that requires adaptive innovation and inclusive digital participation.“Technology can accelerate climate resilience from predictive modelling for floods and droughts to blockchain-based transparency in carbon credit markets.
Everyone must be part of this transformation. This is not a fight for the government alone but for all Nigerians as well,” she added.
According to Osondu, the Federal Government has made significant progress in policy development and international engagement regarding the climate, which includes the Climate Change Act (2021), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) launched in 2022, the Green Bond Programme, and the Great Green Wall Initiative.
She appreciated President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in expanding the Solar Power Naija initiative, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, and working to operationalise the National Council on Climate Change across all levels of government.
Osondu concluded that Nigeria’s next frontier in climate action should reflect an innovative adaptation of technological ecosystems to drive early warning systems and ensure environmental justice in real time.
