The Nigerian government has made headway to promote clean energy technologies for sustainable start-ups and small & medium enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this step is to address environmental challenges in the country through its adoption of the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) initiative.
The initiative was launched by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to promote cleantech innovation & entrepreneurship and address current environmental challenges.
The Nigerian Federal Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (FMSTI), Adeleke Mamora, praised the initiative during the inauguration of a Project Steering Committee of experts in Abuja. The minister urged the inaugurated members to make contributions to the nation’s development through the GCIP.
“It is pertinent to note that the world is currently moving towards the use of clean energy technologies and FMSTI, being aware of this, is currently conducting technology needs assessment for climate change mitigation and adaptation in key sectors of the economy,” Mamora commented.
Mamora said that Nigeria has become the tenth member nation of the GCIP. He also highlighted the need to embrace and support the deployment of clean energy solutions across various sectors of the economy.
The Regional Director of UNIDO’s Nigeria Regional Hub, Jean Bankole, was represented by the National Programme Officer, Reuben Bamidele, who said the project aims to promote clean startups and SMEs in the country to operate in a responsible manner, following the business ethics and environmental guidelines.
Bamidele also mentioned that about 15 other countries are participating in the innovative process of implementing the GCIP project, along with Nigeria. This will bring forth a number of innovative ideas that will be useful for managing businesses in Nigeria. The project would also serve as a platform for creating new job opportunities in the country.
