The UK-based sustainability firm recently unveiled RENEW Nigeria, a project comprising interconnected intelligence and knowledge products focused on governance and service delivery in Nigeria’s clean energy sector.

The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has joined the initiative as a parliamentary partner, describing its objectives as being in “direct alignment with Nigeria’s energy transition agenda and our national climate commitments.”

In an endorsement letter signed by the committee’s chairman, Hon. Victor Ogene, the lawmakers expressed confidence that the initiative would “significantly contribute to policy development, sector accountability and the achievement of SDG 7 in Nigeria,” while acknowledging “the role of strategic partnerships in improving service delivery, strengthening legislative oversight, and accelerating access to sustainable energy across Nigeria.”

RENEW Nigeria will undertake research, documentation and stakeholder engagement activities beginning at COP 31. In the coming weeks, the project intends to highlight credible SDG 7 success stories, identify gaps and promote opportunities relating to energy access, affordability and efficiency across Nigeria.

Oke Epia, chief executive officer of SOStainability, said the initiative was created as a “response to the demand for tangible, measurable, and verifiable value from climate finance flows into Nigeria. The project targets public entities, companies, and civil society across Nigeria’s energy ecosystem, especially in renewable energy and clean cooking.”

Epia explained that the project would be delivered through several distinct but interconnected products and activities. These include the Nigeria Renewable Energy Industry Annual Status Report and its accompanying digital dashboard, scheduled for launch in London next year, as well as the SDG7 Success Story Series, which is published in ThisDay newspaper.

Other components include the RENEW Nigeria Events and Awards, to be held on the sidelines of COP 31, the IRENA Assembly at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Summit in January 2027, and the upcoming Lagos Climate Action Week.

“We will soon be announcing our series of engagements at COP 31, including country-level and industry-focused bilaterals that have been designed to elevate investment and partnership conversations around renewables and clean cooking in Nigeria,” the CEO stated.

SOStainability is already in discussions with partners and prospective collaborators, including United Nations entities, US-based Local Power/Community Choice Aggregation, which is authorised to serve half of the US energy market and reaches over 50 million Americans, and GLOBE Legislators, Focal Point of the UNFCCC Parliamentary Group.

Describing the opportunities available through the initiative, Epia said: “The RENEW Nigeria SDG7 project offers long-term, end-to-end, and distinctly beneficial engagement that elevates thought leadership, market access and expansion, global visibility and partnership opportunities, and credible and bankable industry recognition,” Epia stated.

As preparation for the industry status report, SOStainability has also published a series of preliminary assessments examining electricity conditions across Nigeria’s 36 states. The assessments consider power access, affordability and clean energy.

The series examined the 2023 decentralisation of electricity and the removal of the petrol subsidy, prompting discussions on how public resources could be deployed to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges and improve productivity. The focus includes industries, small and medium-scale businesses, households and individuals that depend on reliable, affordable and cleaner electricity to sustain production and everyday activities.

The assessments used key indicators, including the legal framework, regulatory readiness and evidence of project pipelines, to evaluate performance in the power sector.

SOStainability is a global enterprise focused on promoting sustainability and responsible climate action among businesses, communities, governments and non-governmental organisations. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the firm provides sustainability consulting guided by the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit.

The company also works to connect African institutions with global climate investment networks, drawing on its experience with African institutions, communities, businesses and governments in climate governance, particularly in policy, communications and stakeholder engagement.

SOStainability is the co-convener of the Nigeria Climate Investment Summit (NCIS), held in London. It also produces a weekly page for ThisDay newspaper to raise awareness, engage stakeholders and publicise sustainability initiatives undertaken by public and private sector organisations.

SOURCE: ThisDay Live