By Danjuma Amodu
The Nigeria Labour Congress and energy transition experts have called for greater involvement of workers and host communities in the formulation and implementation of Nigeria’s energy transition policies.
The stakeholders made the call while discussing the need for a just and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable and low-carbon energy sources.
Head of the British Research Academy, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, said climate change was largely a workplace issue because workers are directly exposed to pollution and other environmental hazards.
Okereke stressed that workers and their representatives must be involved in climate change and energy transition discussions, noting that they are among those likely to be most affected by the shift.
He urged the government to adopt inclusive policies that would take into account the interests of workers, particularly those whose jobs could be affected by the gradual shift away from fossil fuels.
He also called for adequate training and skills development to enable affected workers to transition into emerging employment opportunities in the low-carbon economy, as well as social protection measures, including adequate compensation, early retirement benefits and timely payment of pensions for workers who might lose their jobs.
Also speaking, the NLC Head of Climate Change, Comrade Eche Asuzu, said Nigeria’s energy transition policies must be anchored on justice and equity.
Asuzu noted that political and economic factors, including governance, institutional arrangements and the distribution of benefits, often determine who gains or loses from energy projects.
He called for stronger research and data collection to identify the concerns of communities affected by mining and other energy-related projects, noting that some communities had raised concerns over displacement, inadequate compensation and the failure of companies and government authorities to adequately respond to their grievances.
According to him, although Nigeria has policies and regulations designed to protect affected communities, poor implementation and inadequate monitoring remain major challenges.
He therefore called for stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments, companies and host communities to address gaps in policy implementation, and advocated greater transparency in Community Development Agreements between companies and host communities, saying residents should have access to the agreements and be able to use them to demand accountability.
Nigeria’s energy transition is anchored on the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan, a national roadmap designed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 while addressing energy poverty, economic development and energy-access needs. The plan focuses on five major sectors — power, cooking, transport, industry, and oil and gas — and was updated in 2024 to reflect new data and policy developments.
The government’s transition strategy also recognises the potential employment implications of reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Energy Transition Plan estimates that Nigeria’s net-zero pathway could generate up to 340,000 jobs by 2030 and 840,000 jobs by 2060, particularly in the power, cooking and transport sectors, while acknowledging the need to manage potential long-term job losses in the oil sector.
The issue of a just transition has increasingly featured in discussions between government, organised labour, employers and development partners. In October 2025, Nigeria validated its Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan, a framework intended to guide the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy while ensuring that workers, employers, communities and other vulnerable groups participate in the process.
The NLC has also been advocating a worker-centred approach. Its climate-change programme has focused on climate justice, green jobs, decent work, reskilling and social protection for workers whose livelihoods could be affected by climate policies. In March 2025, the NLC, with support from the International Labour Organisation, convened a social dialogue on just transition in Nigeria’s energy sector, bringing together government institutions, employers, unions and development partners to discuss policies aimed at protecting livelihoods while supporting the shift to green energy.
The stakeholders maintained that Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy must protect workers, host communities and other vulnerable groups while simultaneously addressing the country’s development and energy needs.
