Joseph Bakare
The Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, has applauded efforts of Government to improve the country’s energy efficiency through cleaner energy sources.
He however urged the Federal Government and private investors to ensure that Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy prioritises justice, moral responsibility and protection of vulnerable communities nationwide.
Banjo, spoke on Friday in Abuja during the GreenFaith Nigeria Multifaith and Multisectoral Forum on Nigeria’s Just Energy Transition Plan.
Speaking on the theme, “Faith, Justice, and Power: Advancing an Inclusive Just Energy Transition in Nigeria,” Banjo said energy remained essential to life, health, human dignity and sustainable national development.
He warned against repeating past development patterns where economic benefits favoured a few individuals while poor communities suffered environmental degradation and long-term socio-economic consequences from unsustainable industrial and energy practices nationwide.
“Nigeria’s energy transition must be treated not merely as an economic agenda, but as a moral and developmental responsibility,” he said while calling for inclusive and people-centred energy policies across the country.
He urged governments at all levels to formulate clear and just policies protecting affected communities, supporting small businesses and ensuring that no region was excluded from the benefits of energy transition.
Banjo highlighted environmental crises across Nigeria, including oil pollution in the Niger Delta, desertification in the North, gully erosion in the South-East and recurring flooding in North-Central states.
According to him, the “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” remain inseparable because environmental destruction often results in loss of health, livelihoods, homes and human dignity among vulnerable populations.
The cleric also challenged investors and financial institutions to ensure that renewable energy investments were guided by transparency, fairness, community ownership and local capacity development rather than profit-driven interests alone.
“The new energy economy must not reproduce old injustices in cleaner language; it must promote local capacity, community ownership, and transparency,” he said.
Banjo further urged Nigerians to embrace personal responsibility toward environmental conservation by avoiding indiscriminate waste disposal, planting trees and conserving water and other natural resources for future generations.
He commended GreenFaith Africa, GreenFaith Nigeria and the Kukah Centre for fostering collaboration among faith leaders, policymakers and civil society groups toward achieving a people-centred and inclusive energy transition framework nationwide.
Banjo reaffirmed the commitment of the Catholic Secretariat to continue partnering with stakeholders in promoting environmental protection, social justice and sustainable energy policies that uplifted poor and vulnerable communities across Nigeria.