Experts Push for Green Economy in Nigeria at NESt 2026

Environmental experts, policymakers, and private-sector players are calling for Nigeria to fully adopt a green economy. They believe this move will help build smart cities and promote sustainability in the country.

This call was made at the recent Nigeria Environmental Summit (NESt2026) in Abuja. The event took place from June 17 to 18, where participants emphasized the importance of combining climate action with environmental governance for Nigeria's development.

The summit was organized by the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group (NESG). It serves as Nigeria's main platform for discussions among government, investors, private sector, academia, civil society, and international partners on climate action and inclusion.

The summit received support from the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), the Pet A Plant Foundation led by AbdulAzeez Elayo, Alternative Bank, Lafarge Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO), and various United Nations agencies.

Opportunities for Nigerians in Green Economy

Edwin Isotu-Edeh of the NESG shared with PREMIUM TIMES that the green economy offers many opportunities for Nigerians.

"It is no news that our dear nation is suffering from youth unemployment and other issues. Yet, the green economy is undoubtedly an area that can change this situation if we begin to exploit it," he said.

Mr. Isotu-Edeh also mentioned that the summit is crucial for addressing Nigeria's environmental challenges and finding solutions.

He urged stakeholders to unlock the $5 billion investment opportunities in the green economy, stating that Nigeria is capable of contributing to global development.

Building Climate-Resilient Infrastructure

Speakers at the event agreed that creating smart, resilient cities needs a trustworthy system for investors. They also highlighted the importance of health and safety in building secure cities.

This topic was part of a panel discussion titled ‘Designing the cities of tomorrow: Climate-resilient infrastructure for Nigeria’s growth,’ moderated by Ronke Apata.

Samuel Steveson, an economist from the Central Bank of Nigeria, pointed out that money alone cannot ensure sustainable development. He stressed the need to build trust to attract investments.

"For us to harmonize the country’s fiscal policy, we need to build trust. It is trust that will make people invest and drive policy consistency. Thus, we need to create an inter-generational balance sheet where trust flows from now to the future because people won’t build in an economy that will collapse. So, our policies must be free and confident so that people can invest," he said.

Christopher Beka, a director at the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), mentioned that the Nigerian government has put in place enforcement measures to ensure building safety for all.

He explained that these measures are active before and after construction to maintain environmental standards, noting that NESREA is responsible for driving these regulations and compliance.

"One thing that is not changing is that we are going to hold in the same place, we need to start thinking of the right kind of collaborative framework between all concerned stakeholders to ensure that things like environmental impact assessments, environmental management plan and audit are all done," Mr. Beka said.

In her input, Racheal Ezembakwe, director of health and safety at Lafarge Africa, said the private sector must ensure that smarter cities include health and safety for everyone.

"We need to start seeing safety as part of the business, and for the construction sector, this must begin with the design and the workers. Accidents should be mitigated; you need to carefully select and train competent workers.

"We can also employ technology to do risk assessment because even though comfort is good, the protection of people’s lives is more important. We should include sustainability and innovation in our project planning while ensuring a balance between safety and security," she added.