President Bola Tinubu has established a Presidential Committee on climate Green Economic Solutions, that will serve as apex body to coordinate all activities in the renewable energy sector.

The 25 member committee will be chaired by the President himself, also has Balarabe Lawal, Minister of Environment, as Vice Chairman.

The President has also appointed Ajuri Ngelale, as the Secretary to the Committee, who will also serve as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action.

This is seen as part of a strategic move to key into the global climate change funds, as well as strategic move to ensure the advancement of his administration’s climate and green economic initiatives.

Segum Imohiosen, the director of information, office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), in a statement, said Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, established by the President, will coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development.

This is to remove the constraints to coordination, foster a whole-of-government approach to climate-action programmes, provide an efficient governance architecture, and ensure that all relevant institutions in the sector are plugged into the President’s vision and are collectively implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda on climate action.

The Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions consists of the President Bola Tinubu, as Chairman, while Lawal (Minister of Environment), will serve as Vice-Chairman.

Others include Ajuri-Obari Ngelale (Special Adviser) – Secretary/Special Presidential Envoy, Lazarus Angbazo (CEO, InfraCorp), Salisu Dahiru (CEO, NCCC), Michael Ohiani (CEO, ICRC), Aisha Rimi (CEO, NIPC), will serve as Members.

Others are Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, NSIA), Yusuf Maina-Bukar (CEO, NAGGW), Abdullahi Mustapha (CEO, ECN), Abba Aliyu (CEO, REA), Uzoma Nwagba (CEO, CrediCorp), Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI), Fatima Shinkafi (CEO, SMDF) , Bala Bello (Deputy Governor, CBN) and Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL) – Member.

The committee also has Teni Majekodunmi (NCCC Adviser), Representative, Federal Ministry of FCT, Representative, Federal Ministry of Finance, Representative, Federal Ministry of Power, Representative, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, Representative, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Representative, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security, Representative, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Representative, Nigeria Customs Service, will also serve as Members of the committee.

Presidential Committee shall, among other functions, Identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil & non-gas climate action initiatives.

They are also expected to coordinate all activities of relevant federal institutions towards the attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions of the federal government.

Other mandates include collaborating with all relevant government, subnational governments, non-government, and civil society entities towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and ambitions of the federal government.

They will also collaborate with national governments and multilateral institutions towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and carbon market ambitions of the federal government, as well as monitor, evaluate, and guide the progress of all climate action and renewable energy projects and activities of the federal government.

Others include tracking and guiding the implementation of initiatives and developments conducted by the Energy Transition Working Group; supervise the work of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen and prepare a half-yearly green ambitions update, covering all associated climate action achievements of the federal government.

The state said Ngelale will however retain his role as the official spokesperson of the President and Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, while serving on the committee.

President Tinubu remains committed to achieving Nigeria’s green economy objectives on the path of a just energy transition while unlocking new investments in this critical sector that is central to the nation’s economic future.

The President will also establish Africa’s first ever green industrial zone, a renewable energy hub that will be located within the solid mineral belt, within the central part of Nigeria and will be solely powered by renewable energy.

The hub or industrial zone wil, be located in the middle belt region and will solely be responsible for production of renewable energy, including solar, wind green energy

It is going to be powered by a mass renewable energy system with a concentration of wind turbines, to be exclusively reserved for industries that will employ thousand of Nigerians.

The place is reserved only for those involved in renewable energy. The project will be for companies dedicated for foremost manufacturing of renewable energy producing renewable energy technology for African countries.

This is also part of the plan to ensure that Nigeria no longer be a dumping ground. The President is committed to ensure that the rail lines from Lagos to Abuja will serve the role facilitating the renewable project.

As part of efforts to actualise the project, President Tinubu assured that the Warri – Itakpe -Abuja, rail project which is set for completion before 2027, will be fast tracked to ensure basic infrastructure for the renewable energy hub

It was gathered that a minimum of two major seaports will be connected by rails, namely Warri and Lagos

The President has also established governance architecture, known as a Presidential steering committee on renewable project.

This committee is made up of about 15 people, headed by the Presidential envoy, while InfraCo will be the focal institution to supervise the projects.

“This is a vision, first in Africa, larger than the Lekki Free zone, and dedicated to renewable energy. It will be the first African green industrial zone, operational in Nigeria. (BusinessDay)

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