The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) has launched a nationwide campaign to position women as key drivers in Nigeria’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The campaign, unveiled at a media parley and exhibition held at Novare Mall, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was themed “Empowering Women Voices for Renewable Energy: Media Coverage Parley and Exhibition in Nigeria.” It brought together women leaders, clean energy advocates, and civil society groups to promote gender inclusion in climate action and energy transformation.
Speaking at the event, GIFSEP’s Executive Director, Dr. Michael Terungwa David, said the initiative seeks to empower women from fossil fuel–impacted communities to become solar technicians, clean energy entrepreneurs, and advocates for sustainable development. “Energy is not just power—it’s health, education, and opportunity,” Dr. David said. “Renewable energy access is not charity; it’s a human right. A just energy transition must prioritize equity, inclusiveness, and community ownership to ensure no one—especially women and the poor—is left behind.”
He noted that despite Nigeria’s status as Africa’s largest economy, more than 85 million citizens—over 40 percent of the population—still lack access to electricity, forcing many rural families to rely on kerosene, firewood, and diesel generators. These practices, he said, not only fuel deforestation and pollution but also endanger women’s health and limit economic and educational opportunities for girls.
To address this, GIFSEP launched the Women Voices for Renewable Energy in Nigeria initiative, with support from Social Change Nest and UMI Fund, training women across affected communities in solar installation, maintenance, and community energy education. The program’s recent Women for Renewable Energy Boot Camp equipped participants with practical skills and mentorship to champion clean energy adoption in their localities.
Dr. David also decried Nigeria’s continued dependence on oil, gas, and coal, particularly in the Niger Delta and North Central regions, warning that fossil fuel combustion drives climate change, environmental degradation, and community poverty.
He called on government agencies, development partners, and private investors to channel more funding toward women-led renewable energy solutions, especially as the world prepares for COP30. “Nigeria stands at a crossroads,” he said. “We must choose a path of clean energy, justice, and hope powered by women and local communities.”
Other speakers at the event shared personal experiences from energy-deprived and pollution-affected areas.
Doorcas Nicanor, Team Lead for Women Voices for Renewable Energy, emphasized that “energy access is a human right,” stressing its importance for homes, schools, and small businesses.
Juliat Ooja Okoh, Coordinator of Owukpa Women in Training, spoke about the struggles of women in coal-impacted communities, saying the boot camp has given them a platform to “lend our voices and make the world know what women are going through.”
Amanie Stella, Executive Director of the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA), called for climate and energy justice in the Niger Delta, where oil exploitation continues to harm communities. “It will be nice if women have clean energy in their homes so their children can read at night,” she said.
Rejoice Asoloko from Brum Brum Community described renewable energy as a tool for empowerment, while Best Nbani of the Lekeh Development Foundation urged oil companies, particularly Shell, to clean up polluted sites in Ogoni land.
The event concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector to accelerate Nigeria’s renewable energy transition and ensure that women—who bear the brunt of energy poverty—are at the forefront of the change.
