Clean Energy Transition: U.S. to support Nigeria, others with $200m

The United States (U.S.) has said it would commit $200 million to assist Nigeria and other countries to enhance the rapid transition to clean energy economies.

The U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry made this known in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Environment,  Mohammed Abdullahi.

He said the support, captured under the U.S. Clean Energy Demand Initiative, would enable countries to implement the buying and production of green products.

Kerry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Minister on the initiative, stressing that the programme would also help to address the climate crisis and create jobs for Nigerians.

In his words, “The initiative is also to accelerate the marketplace creation so that it will help the transition programme faster and help to achieve a clean energy economy as well as dealing with the climate crisis.

“We have $200 million at the moment committed to the startup in the process of safety for the programme. But we know that ultimately this transition is going to take billions of dollars and even trillions of private investments.

“We talked today about how we can be helpful to bring a major amount of capital to the table with technology to help Nigeria move faster to the clean energy economy. That is the future and all of the citizens of Nigeria will benefit from cleaner air.”

Kerry said the U.S. hopes to assist Nigeria in achieving the goals set out in its nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

He said Nigeria is taking the lead in tackling climate change and that the clean energy initiative will help in pushing Nigerian businesses forward.

“As you also think about the long-term future and sustainability for Nigeria and Africa, we will like to explore with you how we can increase the ambition that you have set out already in your Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); the plans of the National Council on climate change recognising that Nigeria is a very important country with respect to the crisis that we face.

“You are a producer of fossil fuel you have enormous gas reserves. But you also have great respect for the land and great concern about how to proceed forward. And so I would like to explore with you and listen to you to think through how we can work together as you implement your own climate change,” Kerry said.