Nigeria: President Tinubu establishes committee on green economic initiatives, with Ajuri as Special envoy

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a committee to oversee the Green Economic Initiative, known as the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.

Tinubu also approved the appointment of Chief Ajuri Ngelale as Special Envoy on Climate Action and will retain his role as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Sunday in Abuja.

This is part of a strategic move of the President to ensure the advancement of his administration’s climate and green economic initiatives.

The committee will coordinate and oversee all the policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development.

This is to remove the constraints to coordination, foster a whole-of-government approach to climate-action programmes and provide an efficient governance architecture.

It will ensure that all the relevant institutions in the sector are plugged into the President’s vision and are collectively implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda on climate action.

The committee consists of President Bola Tinubu – Chairman; Balarabe Abbas Lawal (Minister of Environment) – Vice-Chairman; and Ajuri-Obari Ngelale (Special Adviser) – Secretary/Special Presidential Envoy.

The members are Lazarus Angbazo (CEO, InfraCorp); Salisu Dahiru (CEO, NCCC); Michael Ohiani (CEO, ICRC); Aisha Rimi (CEO, NIPC); and Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, NSIA).

Others are Yusuf Maina-Bukar (CEO, NAGGW); Abdullahi Mustapha (CEO, ECN); Abba Abubakar Aliyu (CEO, REA); Uzoma Nwagba (CEO, CrediCorp) and Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI).

Fatima Shinkafi (CEO, SMDF); Bala Bello (Deputy Governor, CBN); Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL); Teni Majekodunmi (NCCC Adviser) and Representative, (Federal Ministry of FCT) as members.

Other representative members are Federal Ministries of Finance; Power; Industry, Trade & Investment; Water Resources; and Agriculture & Food Security.

The committee members also include representatives of the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service.

The committee shall, among other functions, identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil & non-gas climate action initiatives.

It will coordinate all the activities of relevant federal institutions towards the attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions of the federal government.

It will also collaborate with all the relevant government, sub-national governments, non-government, and civil society entities towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and ambitions of the federal government.

In the same vein, it will collaborate with national governments and multilateral institutions towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and carbon market ambitions of the federal government.

The committee wiil also monitor, evaluate and guide the progress of all climate action and renewable energy projects and activities of the federal government.

Other functions include: ”Track and guide the implementation of initiatives and developments conducted by the Energy Transition Working Group.

”Supervise the work of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

”Prepare a half-yearly green ambitions update, covering all associated climate action achievements of the Federal Government.”

Imohiosen said that Tinubu remained committed to achieving Nigeria’s green economy objectives on the path of a just energy transition while unlocking new investments in this critical sector.

INFRACORP FOR GREEN ZONE

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) as the Lead Arranger and Developer of Evergreen City, Nigeria’s green industrial zone.

Tinubu also approved the appointment of Chief Ajuri Ngelale as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman Project Evergreen, the supervisory technical working group, to oversee the pioneering endeavour.

This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Sunday in Abuja.

Ngelale said that this was in line with the President’s commitment to ensure industrial development that meets the demands of the present and the future.

He said that the terms of reference of the InfraCorp are selection of partners/consultants to undertake critical development activities, including project design, environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies, financial modelling, and market engagement.

It will be raising private funding for the development of the city and constituent projects; coordinating with partners, development institutions, and other providers of capital and technical assistance.

It will also be reporting to the Supervisory Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

Dr Lazarus Angbazo, who is also a member of the Presidential Steering Committee, is the CEO of InfraCorp and holds a first-class Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.

Angbazo has a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Iowa, and a Doctorate degree in Corporate Finance from the New York University.

He was President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric in Nigeria, where he doubled GE’s revenue.

He was also the CEO of General Electric Grid Solutions Africa and led GE’s regional operations between 2008 and 2012 as President and CEO, West, East & Central Africa.

Ngelale said that the president also approved the establishment of a 15-member Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, the supervisory technical working group, to oversee the pioneering endeavour.

He said that the committee is composed of the following members: Chief Ajuri Ngelale- Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action – Chairman; Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL) – Secretary.

The members are Lazarus Angbazo (CEO, InfraCorp), Salisu Dahiru (CEO, NCCC); Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, NSIA), and Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI).

Other members are Abba Abubabkar Aliyu (CEO, REA); Fatima Shinkafi (CEO, SMDF); Uzoma Nwagba (CEO, CrediCorp); Bala Bello (Deputy Governor, CBN) and Teni Majekodunmi (NCCC).

The rest of the members are Nana Maidugu (NSIA); Michael Ivenso (NCCC); Suleiman Yusuf (Blue Camel Energy); and Chidi Ajaere (Jet EV).

The presidential spokesman said that Tinubu expected absolute dedication and professionalism to drive this critical project.

He said the members were given the clear objective of making Nigeria the leading manufacturing hub in Africa for renewable energy technologies, green solutions, and climate-adaptation technologies.