‘Sustain Women’s Voices On Nigeria’s Energy Transition’

The media has been urged to place women’s voices and live experiences at the heart of Nigeria’s energy transition agenda. The call was made during a media parley on increasing coverage of women’s experience in sustainable farming and mining within Nigeria’s energy transition. The programme was organised for select journalists in Ilọrin, Kwara State capital, […]

The media has been urged to place women’s voices and live experiences at the heart of Nigeria’s energy transition agenda.

The call was made during a media parley on increasing coverage of women’s experience in sustainable farming and mining within Nigeria’s energy transition.

The programme was organised for select journalists in Ilọrin, Kwara State capital, by the Centre for Gender Economics in Africa (CGE Africa).

Speaking at the event, Executive Director of CGE Africa, Mrs Uchenna Idoko, emphasised the need for inclusive reporting to drive climate justice and equitable energy reforms.

Mrs Idoko said the engagement aimed to sensitise journalists that women’s roles in agriculture, mining, and energy remain underreported, despite their critical contributions and unique vulnerabilities to climate change.

“We cannot build a sustainable energy future while ignoring the people who are most affected by energy poverty and climate risks. Women must be part of the solutions, not just the statistics,” she said.

While presenting data from authoritative bodies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the World Bank, Mrs Idoko highlighted structural challenges facing women in Nigeria’s energy sector.

According to her, although women account for over 70 percent of off-grid energy users, they occupy less than 10 percent of leadership roles in the sector.

She said in Nigeria’s energy institutions, women reportedly hold only 5 percent of board seats, and 80 percent of rural women still lack access to clean energy for livelihood activities.

“These are not just numbers, they reflect the lived experiences of millions of women whose voices remain unheard in national conversations around climate justice and sustainability”, she said.

The CGE Africa Executive Director however warned that energy policies that fail to consider gender dynamics risk widening existing inequalities by up to 15 percent, citing World Bank projections.

She said available data showed that women in Nigeria produce 60 percent of the country’s food but feature in only 20 percent of climate-related media reports.

Additionally, less than 5 percent of mining headlines capture the contributions or perspectives of women.

“There is a gap in how we tell climate stories. Women are often portrayed as victims, not as leaders or innovators,” she said.

She harped on the need for improved access to credit and financial mechanisms for women in green industries adding that only three states in Nigeria currently track gender-disaggregated energy data.

To address the issue, innovative practices by women, she noted, such as agroecology, indigenous farming, cooperative-based food systems, and safety solutions in artisanal mining deserve more media attention.

She said gender-informed storytelling can strengthen climate accountability and draw support for policy changes.

Daily Trust reports that Energy transition, defined as the shift from fossil fuel-based systems to renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro, remains central to Nigeria’s national development strategy.

The federal government targets 30 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060, with an emphasis on solar mini-grids and clean cooking solutions.

However, speakers at the event stressed that these targets cannot be achieved without gender-responsive approaches.

“Women are not just users of energy; they are potential entrepreneurs and change agents in clean energy development,” Idoko submitted.