Energy Transition: Osinbajo departs for U.S.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in the early hours of Wednesday, departed Abuja for the United States of America for global partnerships and support for Nigeria’s recently launched Energy Transition Plan.

Osinbajo is leading Nigeria’s Energy Transition Implementation Working Group (ETWG) on the US mission with meetings starting from Thursday, September 1, to promote the plan and secure global support from the US government, the private sector, and other development partners.

This was made known via a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande.

Akande stated that the ETWG which is chaired by Osinbajo comprises relevant ministers and other top government officials.

“Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan officially launched last week at a global virtual event is a homegrown, data-backed and multi-pronged strategy developed for the attainment of 2060 net-zero emissions commitment in 5 critical sectors : Power, Cooking, Oil and Gas, Transport and Industry. Nigeria needs $410 billion to deliver the Transition Plan by 2060.

“Among other highlights, the plan needs at least $10 billion per annum above business as usual spending for effective implementation.

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“At the launch, the World Bank and a renewable energy organisation – Sun Africa, pledged a sum of $1.5 billion each totaling an initial $3 billion investment to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.

“While in the United States, Prof. Osinbajo will meet US Vice President, Kamala Harris; US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm; Secretary of Treasury, Janet Yellen, and President of World Bank Group, David Malpass, among others.

“The Vice President is also scheduled to speak on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan at the Centre for Global Development in Washington DC,” Akande noted.

The Vice President’s delegation to the United States include Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General/CEO for Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Uzoma Emenike, is also expected to join the delegation.

According to Akande, Osinbajo will return to Abuja early next week.

The Star