ILO, FG Launch New Climate Jobs Initiative to Drive Nigeria’s Green Transition Through 2029

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Federal Government and the Government of France, has launched the second phase of the Social Dimension of Ecological Transition Project, an ambitious programme aimed at transforming Nigeria’s climate commitments into concrete actions that create green jobs, protect workers and promote inclusive economic growth.

The initiative, unveiled on Thursday at the United Nations House in Abuja, marks a shift from policy development to implementation as Nigeria seeks to integrate climate action with employment generation, social protection and sustainable development.

The project, which will run until 2029, brings together government ministries, labour unions, employers’ organisations, climate institutions and development partners to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Just Transition Guideline and Action Plan while accelerating the country’s transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.

Speaking at the launch, the ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala-Moyo said the second phase builds on significant achievements recorded under the first phase, which began in 2020.

She noted that the initial phase focused on building the capacity of government institutions and social partners to understand and adopt the principles of a “just transition”—an approach that ensures workers and vulnerable communities are not left behind as economies shift towards cleaner energy.

According to Phala-Moyo, one of the project’s landmark achievements was the inclusion of just transition principles in Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement.

“For us at the ILO and for Nigeria, this was a major milestone because it was the first time just transition had been integrated into the NDC. Nigeria also demonstrated strong leadership in this regard, being one of the few countries to do so,” she said.

She added that the first phase also produced Nigeria’s Just Transition Guideline and Action Plan, while the second phase would concentrate on translating those policy frameworks into practical interventions that support the country’s Energy Transition Plan, Energy Efficiency Plan, Economic Sustainability Plan and broader climate commitments.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Shoretire, said lessons from the first phase underscored the importance of evidence-based planning and stronger collaboration among stakeholders.

“As we move into Phase II, we hope that the objectives we have set for ourselves—providing greener jobs and transitioning from conventional to sustainable energy—will be pursued with greater synergy, stronger cooperation, increased support and additional funding,” he said.

Launching the project, Director General, National Council on Climate change NCCN Mrs. Tenioye Majekodunmi, stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on implementation rather than policy declarations.

She urged stakeholders to translate climate commitments into investments, policies into programmes and aspirations into measurable outcomes capable of improving the lives of Nigerians.

Majekodunmi also emphasised that climate action must remain closely linked to human dignity, economic resilience and social justice.

She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing renewable energy, expanding access to clean cooking technologies and implementing ambitious climate policies capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while improving public health and energy access.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, described the launch as timely, noting that climate change is already affecting livelihoods, food production, energy systems and labour productivity across the country.

He said the first phase had strengthened national capacity through evidence generation, social dialogue and inclusive policy engagement, culminating in the validation of Nigeria’s Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan.

According to the minister, the new phase will focus on identifying green employment opportunities, skills gaps, enterprise development, social protection measures and workplace reforms required to support Nigeria’s transition to a sustainable economy.

“The promise of just transition should be reflected in new skills for workers, resilient enterprises, sustainable livelihoods and expanded opportunities for youths and women,” Dingyadi said.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria also threw its weight behind the initiative, insisting that ecological transition cannot succeed unless it guarantees fairness for workers.

The labour centre argued that workers should not bear the social and economic costs of climate policies and pledged to support the programme through social dialogue, skills development and the promotion of decent green jobs.

It also called for workers to be fully involved in discussions on climate policies, industrial restructuring and the design of green job frameworks.

The launch comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to implement its climate commitments while balancing environmental sustainability with economic growth and job creation.

As Africa’s largest economy and one of the continent’s leading oil producers, Nigeria faces the dual challenge of reducing carbon emissions while ensuring that millions of workers and communities dependent on fossil fuel-related industries are not disadvantaged by the transition to cleaner energy.

The ILO said the second phase of the project is designed to address that challenge by ensuring that climate action becomes a driver of decent work, inclusive growth and social justice rather than a source of economic dislocation.