By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Federal Government has been urged to urgently invest in clean energy as a way out of Nigeria’s worsening job crisis, rising health risks and environmental degradation.

The call was made by the Founder of the COLE’ctive Initiative and former governorship candidate in Rivers state, Tonye Cole, in a statement signed by him to mark this year’s International Day of Clean Energy, themed ‘Clean Energy for People and Planet.’

Cole framed clean energy as a governance imperative that directly affects livelihoods, public health and national security.

In the statement, Cole also announced the launch of a clean energy access and transition platform designed to drive renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency and sustainable power solutions across Rivers State.

He explained that the platform shifts clean energy away from being seen as a narrow technical sector, positioning it instead as essential civic infrastructure that supports healthcare delivery, education access, enterprise productivity, public safety and climate resilience.

“Clean energy is not only about technology; it is about dignity, opportunity, and security,” Cole said.

According to him, the programme brings together renewable energy deployment, community participation, innovation and inclusive financing into a people-centred energy transition model.

Cole said the platform is structured to expand access to clean and reliable energy for more than 230,000 households, clinics, schools and small businesses, including clean or hybrid energy solutions for 230 public and community institutions across 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

He also said the initiative would unlock economic opportunities for 23,000 micro, small and medium-scale enterprises and creative businesses, activate 2,300 clean energy service providers, and support over 10,000 green and energy-linked jobs across renewable energy value chains.

The programme further targets the deployment of energy-efficient solutions across 319 wards to reduce energy costs, lower emissions and ease environmental pressure by cutting dependence on diesel and inefficient energy sources.

“COLE2Power directly links energy access to improved health outcomes, by supporting reliable power for healthcare facilities, cold chains, water systems, and clean cooking solutions.

“It advances wealth creation by enabling productive use of energy for micro, small, and creative enterprises, while reducing operational costs for local businesses. It also strengthens community security, supporting public lighting, emergency response capacity, and climate resilience,” he added.

Cole said the initiative also prioritises grassroots ownership and accountability through the establishment of 230 clean energy stewardship zones, engaging 230,000 citizen participants and reaching an estimated 2.3 million people through education, advocacy and media mobility platforms.

Cole further stressed that Nigeria’s energy transition would only succeed if it is inclusive, locally driven and rooted in the everyday realities of communities rather than remaining a distant policy objective.