A national campaign to prioritise youth priorities in Nigeria’s energy transition has been launched by a coalition of youth-driven and civil society organisations led by Policy Alert. This is a revolutionary move. Edidiong Dickson, Policy Alert’s Programme Officer for Energy, Extractives, and Climate Justice, unveiled the revolutionary initiative, #YouthVoices2060, during a virtual launch event. He characterised it as a “loose network of young people contributing skills, energy, and innovations towards Nigeria’s fossil fuel phase-out and the transition to a clean energy future.”
A thriving marketplace of concepts for the future of Nigeria
Positioned as an organic marketplace of ideas “for and by young people,” the programme aims to leverage the potential of Nigeria’s youth, who make up more than 70% of the country’s population and are the largest youth cohort in the world in relation to population size. #YouthVoices2060 envisions a clean and sustainable energy system that not only helps young people but also propels the country into a greener future, given that it is currently facing one of the greatest energy deficits in the world.
Youth Perspectives Overlooked in Energy Policy Formulation
The outcome statement released at the conclusion of the virtual launch emphasized a critical discrepancy in current policy frameworks, particularly the Energy Transition Plan (ETP) launched in August 2024. The statement highlighted that these frameworks neither involved youths in their formulation nor made explicit references to youth priorities. As Nigeria aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the campaign advocates for a thorough review of the ETP, urging the government to integrate youth perspectives into its implementation.
Voices Echoing for Green Transformation
Prominent speakers at the launch event included Olumide Olaniyan, Executive Director of the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI), Chizoba Nzeakor, a climate and clean energy professional with Zoba Advisory, and Emmanuel Anene, a doctoral researcher in clean energy. Other distinguished voices included Mrs. Obiageli Onuorah of the Nigeria Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), David Arinze, Programme Officer at Diamond Development Initiatives, Lauritta Boniface, Co-founder of Ecocykle, and Richard Umar, Founder of Youth Voyage of Nigeria.
The launch, held in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and BudgIT Foundation, marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey towards sustainable energy practices. #YouthVoices2060 amplifies the call for an inclusive and youth-centric approach to the nation’s energy transition, echoing the sentiment that the demographic opportunity presented by Nigeria’s youthful population must be seized to shape a cleaner, greener future for all.
