Education
Stakeholders seek justice for host communities in Africa’s just transition plan – EnviroNews
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Many host communities have continued to be marginalised, overlooked, and inadequately compensated by both the government and operating firms, despite enduring the harmful impacts of environmental activities. Stakeholders contend that this alarming trend must be addressed if Nigeria is to achieve a successful transition to a just and sustainable economy.
Speaking during a discussion on “The Global Political Economy of Just Transitions for and in Africa” held in Abuja on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the participants praised Africa’s climate plan, stating that it has the capacity to address the aforementioned issue if fully explored.
Nigeria has established strong policies and regulations to tackle this issue; however, progress remains hindered by inadequate implementation. Consequently, stakeholders are urging the government to focus on effectively monitoring the situation, encouraging participation from all relevant parties, and providing efficient mechanisms to address the concerns of affected communities.
Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, President of the Society for Planet and Prosperity, has called on communities, policymakers, and researchers to collaborate by sharing their unique perspectives and expertise. This collaboration aims to foster a better understanding and to develop effective solutions that address the urgent development challenges facing Nigeria.
“Africa’s transition is being shaped by constrained fiscal space, rising sovereign debt, unilateralism in the Global North, and a shift away from the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities,” he stated at the dialogue organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the University of Bristol, Taraba State University, The British Academy, and the Society for Planet and Prosperity.
He continued by criticising restrictions on the use of fossil fuels in Africa while they are still consumed in industrialised nations, calling it “gas for me and not for thee.”
Speaking about the political economy of energy transition, Comrade Eche Asuzu, National Coordinator of the Nigeria Labour Congress Climate Change, Green Jobs and Just Transition Programme, stated that institutional and political factors dictate who gains and loses from transition initiatives.
He cautioned that moving from a fossil-fuel to a low-carbon economy without attention to equity could create new forms of injustice.
Asuzu hinted host communities often feel excluded, citing cases where hundreds of trucks transport lithium from facilities operated by foreign companies while surrounding communities lack basic infrastructure.
“This is not justice,” he remarked. Like the previous speaker, he also acknowledged that Nigeria’s problem is not weak regulations but poor implementation and lack of follow-up.
He called for mandatory publication of Community Development Agreements on a public portal and for greater empowerment of communities to know their rights and hold companies accountable.
Prof. Elizabeth Essien, Department of Environmental Management, University of Calabar proposed stronger governance structures enabling communities to participate in and benefit from Nigeria’s just, inclusive and development-oriented transition programmes.
The lecturer pointed out that communities must safeguard their livelihoods and take ownership of transition processes. According to her, meaningful participation and understanding governance dynamics would strengthen sustainability for future generations.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja