Nigeria has taken a bold and historic step toward building an inclusive, sustainable, and low-carbon future. The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) has officially validated the Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan (JT-GAP)—a landmark framework designed to steer the nation’s shift to a green and climate-resilient economy. The validation ceremony, held on the 6th and 7th of October 2025 at the Nigeria Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey toward a fair and equitable transition.
Developed by the Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD), Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, with support from International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan stands as a model of evidence-based, inclusive policy formulation.
The two-day event commenced with a technical session, which provided an in-depth review of the draft JT-GAP. The session brought together technical experts from across government, academia, and international development institutions to deliberate on key components of the report.
The technical presentation was anchored by Professor Emmanuel Oladipo, representing the lead consultant, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, while the cross-cutting themes of the JT-GAP—such as gender inclusion, youth empowerment, and social equity—were presented by Dr. Austine Sadiq Okoh, who served as the Project Manager. Their presentations set the tone for a robust exchange of ideas, ensuring the technical soundness and inclusivity of the final document.
The workshop featured participants from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs); multilateral institutions; civil society organizations; women and youth groups; representatives of persons with disabilities; labor unions; and private sector actors. This wide-ranging participation underscored the national commitment to ensuring that Just Transition truly leaves no one behind.
The validation ceremony which took place on the second day was graced by an array of distinguished personalities, including the Director-General of the NCCC, Mrs. Tenioye Majekodunmi; Mr. Ibrahim Shelleng, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement; the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Climate Change; the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business; the Country Director of the NDC Partnership; and Permanent Secretaries on Climate Change from Lagos, Cross River, and Imo States. Also in attendance were heads of federal ministries, development partners, industrial leaders, labor union representatives, CSOs, youth advocates, people living with disabilities, and members of the consultant team.
In her remarks, Mrs. Tenioye Majekodunmi, the Director-General of the NCCC, described the JT-GAP as _“a comprehensive, evidence-based, and professionally crafted document that reflects Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to an equitable energy transition and decarbonization pathway.”_ She emphasized that the plan aligns seamlessly with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Energy Transition Plan (ETP), and long-term net-zero ambitions, adding that it was developed through an extensive process of national and international review.
She further commended the consultant team and stakeholders for producing a document that “leaves no one behind,” reaffirming that _“the Just Transition is not merely an environmental agenda, but a people-centered development vision that ensures economic growth, social justice, and environmental sustainability move hand in hand.”_ The DG called on all stakeholders to take collective ownership of the report and ensure the timely implementation of its recommendations across all sectors.
Participants at the validation ceremony unanimously applauded the quality, inclusiveness, and international standard of the Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan. They lauded the depth of consultation and participatory engagement that characterized its preparation, describing it as a true reflection of national will and international best practice.
Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, the Lead Consultant, says “I am delighted to have led the team that produced the Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan (JT-GAP). Our report offers insight on how Nigeria can unlock new opportunities in green growth, innovation and emerging industrial ecosystems while taking ambitious climate action. We have not only provided a detailed analysis of the justice dimensions of climate impact and transition pathways in key sectors of Nigeria’s economy. But we have also offered clear guidance and action plan on how Nigeria can align climate ambition with its development priorities to ensure that decarbonisation does not come at the expense of jobs, livelihoods and social stability.”
Continuing, Okereke says, “both climate change and action implicate equity and justice in profound and complect ways. By embedding fairness and inclusivity at the core of Nigeria’s transition effort, the JT-GAP if implemented will protect workers, trade unions, women, the youth, and marginalized groups and communities and help Nigeria to mitigate critical transition risks such as job displacement, stranded assets and fiscal stress.”
The validation of the JT-GAP therefore marks a new dawn for Nigeria. And is a milestone in the nation’s commitment to achieving a just, inclusive, and people-driven transition that prioritizes social equity, decent jobs, and community well-being in the face of climate change. It reaffirms Nigeria’s determination to lead Africa’s march toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and sustainable future.
— Paul Ogwu
Assistant Project Manager
