Clean Energy Is the Future — Nigeria Must Act Now

By: Abudu Olalekan

Clean energy. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s survival. Clean Energy: How Nigeria Can Turn Sunlight Into Climate Finance

In Abuja on October 8, 2025, something shifted. Not with fireworks or loud speeches — but with quiet urgency. The first-ever EcoWise forum brought people together. Not politicians giving promises. Real folks. Engineers, entrepreneurs, dreamers. All talking about one thing: how to power Nigeria without killing the planet.

At the heart of it was Vectar Energy. A small NGO. Big vision. Their founder, Deborah Fadeyi, stood up and said what many were thinking but afraid to say — “Aid doesn’t work.”

She wasn’t being rude. Just honest. For years, African countries show up at COP meetings begging for help. Climate resilience? Sure. But handouts don’t build grids. They don’t fix transformers. They don’t put solar panels on every roof.

So she asked — what if we trade? Not beg. Trade.

That’s where carbon credits come in. Sounds technical, right? But it’s simple. You install solar panels. You collect data — how much sun, how much power, how much carbon you didn’t emit. That data? It becomes a product. A credit. Sold to companies like Amazon or Microsoft. Why? Because they need to prove they’re going net zero by 2050. And Nigeria — with its endless sunshine — can be a supplier.

“Imagine,” Fadeyi said, “turning sunlight into cash. Not aid. Revenue. Real money for real change.”

And that’s exactly what EcoWise wants to do. A platform built by Nigerians. For Africans. To turn green energy data into carbon credits. No middlemen. No delays. Just action.

Damilola Asaleye from the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria clapped when she heard it. Not literally — but you could see it in her eyes. Finally, someone’s doing instead of talking.

She said, “We’ve got solar installations everywhere. Rooftops, farms, mini-grids. All that data? Right now, it’s just… sitting there. What if we could sell it? Use the money to build more solar? It’s a cycle. A good one.”

She stressed one thing — “We can’t wait for government.”

True. Too many times, the private sector waits. Waits for policy. Waits for funding. Waits for permission. But climate change isn’t waiting. Power cuts aren’t waiting. Kids studying under kerosene lamps? They’re not waiting.

So why should we?

Then came the Israeli ambassador’s rep — Thelma Agada. Speaking for Michael Freeman. She dropped a truth bomb: Nigeria has everything. Sun. Resources. Young people hungry to build. But ideas need investment. Innovation needs implementation.

“This forum,” she said, “connects the dots. Government. Academia. Private sector. Partners. All in one room. That’s rare. That’s powerful.”

And Israel? They’re ready to help. Tech transfer. Training. Joint projects. Not charity. Partnership.

The highlight? The unveiling of the EcoWise Technical Paper. Dry title. But the content? Explosive. A roadmap. How to turn Nigeria’s solar dreams into reality. With virtual sessions on everything — from financing solar transitions to empowering communities.

Because this isn’t just about megawatts. It’s about people. Farmers. Students. Small businesses. People tired of generators. Tired of noise. Tired of fumes.

Reportersroom was there. Not just to report. To witness. This isn’t another talk-shop. This feels different.

Maybe it’s the energy in the room. Or the fact that the people leading it aren’t politicians. They’re doers.

One thing’s clear — climate finance isn’t coming from the West like a gift. It has to be earned. Built. Traded.

And Nigeria? It’s time to stop asking. Start selling.