Stakeholders have mapped out collective bargaining across zones of the federation to consolidate  capacity building at empowering Nigeria’s human resource base towards achieving efficiency on reliable, affordable energy, resource conservation and environmental sustainability in Nigeria.

The project is being driven by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and ECREEE. 

According to the organisers, industry players, energy experts and sustainability advocates from these interest groups have set off the mission with a two day high impact industrial energy efficiency and Resource Efficient Cleaner Production (RECP) training workshop held in Lagos.

National Project Coordinator, Jacob Oladipo, explained that the intention is to get participants engaged in technical discussions, hands-on training and strategic sessions to equip Nigerian industries with tools and knowledge to optimize energy use, minimize waste and adopt global best practices, including ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 endorsement.

Oladipo emphasized that the GEF-UNIDO IEE & RECP Project “is a game-changer. It provides industries with structured approach to significantly reduce energy costs, improve operational efficiency and minimize their environmental footprint. 

“With energy costs on the rise, adopting energy-efficient and cleaner production strategies is no longer an option, it is also a necessity for sustainable industrial growth.”

The training focused on introduction to industrial energy efficiency methodology, international standard for structured energy management; resource efficient cleaner production strategies and more, all aimed at reducing cost and improving efficiency. 

Resource persons engaged participants in case studies, group discussions and facility-based energy audits, deepening their understanding on integrating energy efficiency measures in real life industrial settings.

On projected impact of the training engagement, Osidipe Segun, a key expert, said, “We expect industries to take ownership of these methodologies and apply them in ways that not only boost productivity but also support Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable development.”

As a next step, participating organizations were urged to implement energy efficient practices, apply for pilot projects and seek funding windows through the Bank of Industry (BOI) to support sustainability initiatives.

With the success of the Lagos takeoff, the GEF-UNIDO IEE & RECP Project is committed to sustaining the momentum in encouraging industry leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to champion cleaner production, adopt global best practices and collaborate for a greener future.