Fossil Fuels Are Fading. Nigeria Can’t Afford to Stumble.

By: Abudu Olalekan

The world’s moving on. Oil? Gas? They’re getting old. Like cassette tapes in an iPhone world.

Renewables are here. Solar. Wind. Green energy. It’s not a trend—it’s the new normal.

And Nigeria? We’re standing at the edge. One foot in the past, one trying to step forward.

Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, head of NEITI, said it plain on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. In Abuja. At a roundtable with CEOs and journalists. The shift from fossil fuels to clean energy? Inevitable.

No debate. No opt-out.

But here’s the scary part—if we mess this up, millions could be pushed deeper into darkness.

Yeah. Energy poverty might double. Think about that.

86 million Nigerians already live without steady power. No light. No fans. No fridges. Just candles and hope.

Now imagine that gets worse. Because of a transition meant to help?

Irony. Painful one.

Orji wasn’t yelling. He was calm. But his words carried weight. “This isn’t just policy,” he said. “It’s survival.”

NEITI’s working on a study—interim report out now—about how this energy shift hits Nigeria. Jobs. Communities. Government money. Infrastructure. All on the line.

Oil pays salaries. Funds budgets. Keeps things running. Take that away too fast? Things break.

But wait—there’s also a chance. A real one.

If done right, this change could spark innovation. New industries. Better systems. A stronger economy.

“We’re not doing this for show,” Orji said. “We need data. Real data. Not guesses.”

The study’s backed by the Ford Foundation. Part of NEITI’s bigger plan—climate action, environmental justice, tracking emissions, spotting stranded assets before they sink us.

Who’s Responsible When the Lights Go Out?

Transition can’t be left to politicians alone. Or ministers. Or foreign donors.

It has to include everyone.

Orji called them out: media, civil society, industry, government, development partners.

Each has a role.

Media? Dig deep. Ask hard questions. Don’t just report press releases.

Civil society? Get people involved. Make noise. Demand answers.

Industry players? Stop chasing profit like there’s no tomorrow. There is a tomorrow. And it needs trees. And air. And water.

Development partners? Your funding should lift people—not just projects. Support fairness. Support justice.

And Nigeria? We can’t sit back. We’ve got to fight for our share of climate finance. For tech transfer. For fair treatment.

Rich nations caused most of the pollution. But they’re setting the rules now?

Not fair.

“The study gives us facts,” Orji said. “Facts to argue with. To negotiate with.”

Study Aims to Guide, Not Just Warn

Mathew Adole, Alternate Chair of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), backed the move.

He called the risks “serious.” Nigeria runs on oil. Not just for export. For cooking. For generators. For daily survival.

Switching off? It’s not flipping a switch.

“The NSWG didn’t hesitate,” he said. “We approved this study fast. Because we need to understand what’s coming.”

Pollution is bad. Climate change is real. But so is hunger. So is unemployment.

We can’t fix one problem by exploding another.

That’s why this research matters. It’s not academic. It’s practical. A tool. For advocacy. For policy. For smart decisions.

Final report’s coming. Will shape laws. Influence reforms. Empower citizens.

Because transition shouldn’t mean trauma.

It should mean progress. Fair. Inclusive. Thoughtful.

Right now, the clock’s ticking.

Reportersroom is watching. Because this isn’t just about energy.

It’s about people.