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Stakeholders urge labour to shape Nigeria’s low-carbon transition – EnviroNews
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Stakeholders have urged labour leaders to be part of conversations around Nigeria’s transition from a fossil fuel-dependent economy to a low-carbon future.
The stakeholders, comprising young workers, non-governmental organisations, climate advocates, labour members and the media, made the call during a dialogue organised by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Nigeria in Lagos on Friday, September 4, 2026.
The event was themed: “Nigeria’s Low Carbon Future and the World of Work.”
They noted that Nigeria’s move towards a low-carbon economy would reshape jobs, skills and livelihoods, creating new opportunities in renewable energy and green industries while challenging workers in carbon-intensive sectors.
Harping on labour rights and just transition, they highlighted the need for worker-centred climate policies, decent work, stronger social protection and inclusive governance to ensure that no one is left behind.
The Executive Director of a non-governmental organisation, We the People, based in the Niger Delta, Ken Henshaw, urged labour leaders to take the charge by being part of the policy direction and not just recipients.
“I simply say that Nigeria, as presently constituted, is not ready for the low-carbon future. We do not have the policies for it, we do not have the technology for it. So, if the low-carbon regime were to start right now, Nigeria will not benefit reasonably from it. And this is despite the fact that Nigeria has some of the most critical minerals required for the local future. We have those minerals, we have everything to make the low-carbon future and decent future, but we are simply not prepared for it,” Henshaw said.
He argued that Nigeria is still operating a post-colonial system and is still focused on extractivism, saying this was “the same relations of production that drove the oil age. They are the same relations of production driving the politics around the low carbon age.”
“And my argument is simple that if we must change the relations of production, if we must be prepared for the low-carbon age, if we must adequately earn from it, we need to look at it as less of a commodity, and look at it more as a national asset to be used by the people; asset that we can take and solve our problem of poverty, unemployment, and also solve our energy access problem. That’s how we need to see these critical minerals.
“Labour should not just be a recipient of transition theories. Labour should be a director of this transition policies. And I think that this kind of conversation is the kind that we need,” he added.
Speaking, the founder of International Climate and Development Initiative, Olumide Idowu, said the programme made participants understand more about how people can actually take responsibility.
“It’s not only by talking about labour, but as individuals, we need to take responsibility because what we are clamouring for is about how do we ourselves take responsibility from our own environment. And most especially again, I also see that this event has also opened up our eyes to so many understandings of how our labour unions should be working. Most of us see our labour unions as placard associations, but this event has also shown us that they’re actually doing more than what we think.
“For me, the conversation about low carbon is still at the surface. I’ve been attending COP meetings for several years and I’ve been able to understand that there’s a lot we talk about in Nigeria, let me say on the international stage, and it’s not even replicated here because of the kind of economy that we have.
“People are telling us that we should move to solar energy, all those things. How many of us can afford it? So if we actually want to walk, labour unions have a lot of role to play.
“So the issue of low carbon depends on how the people are actually approaching it with the government. Look at the minimum wage, a minimum wage of N70,000, can the person buy a solar that is going to last for hours? The cheapest one is close to like two or three million naira. If we cannot make our economy conducive for the people, then we are just talking about prosperity, not the real issue. My own advice for government is that they should take labour seriously and I think labour also needs to stand and be truthful to the people they are fighting for.”
Dr. Abiodun Badru of Public Services International made a presentation on “Nigeria’s Low Carbon Transition and the Future of Work”. She highlighted the opportunities that the green economy offers and how Nigerian workers should be prepared for the green future, encouraging the training of workers in green skills and the harnessing of social protection for both formal and informal workers.
A participant and environmental advocate, Gbenga Oloniniran, said the just transition, as it concerns the low-carbon future in Nigeria, must be all-inclusive.
“Nigeria’s low-carbon future must carry along everyone, irrespective of their sociological background. Already, we still have people in the rural communities relying on firewood, kerosene stoves and charcoal for cooking. If we are talking about keeping carbon emissions low, it must include these people. It must include people already suffering from the effects of oil spillage in the Niger-Delta region and those battling flooding in our coastal regions. It must include creating eco-friendly jobs for persons with disabilities,” Oloniniran said.
The event also featured a panel discussion with the theme, “Building a Worker-Centred Low Carbon Future for Nigeria”, featuring Olumide Idowu, Hauwa Mustapha of Tubali Women and CoSET, Kelvin Ayemhenre and Almahroof Muhammed.
By Omowumi Abraham
