Protocol.
I have the singular privilege to offer these opening remarks as we gather for this important Multifaith and Multisectoral Forum on Nigeria’s Just Energy Transition Plan. On behalf of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, I convey our warm greetings and sincere goodwill to all present. In a special way, I warmly greet the members of GreenFaith Africa who have come from different parts of the continent for this engagement. Your presence reminds us that the challenge before us is not only Nigerian, but also African, and deeply human. I also recall with gratitude the courtesy visit paid yesterday to the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria by members of GreenFaith Africa. That visit was a sign of partnership and shared commitment in defence of creation.
We gather today not merely as advocates, policy actors or religious leaders, but as stewards. We gather to ask a deeper question: what kind of future do we want to leave behind, and who will be allowed to share in it? Energy is not a luxury. It is tied to life, health, education, work, food security, industrial growth, national stability and human dignity. The theme of this forum, “Faith, Justice, and Power: Advancing an Inclusive Just Energy Transition in Nigeria,” is, therefore, both timely and urgent. It reminds us that true development cannot be measured solely in megawatts, investment figures or economic indicators. It must also be measured by how we treat the most vulnerable among us: those on the margins of energy poverty, those whose lands and livelihoods are threatened by climate change, and those whose voices are often unheard.
Sacred Scripture presents creation as a sacred trust. In Genesis, God places the human person in the garden “to cultivate and care for it,” or, as some translations put it, “to till it and keep it.” This means that creation is not humanity’s absolute possession, but God’s gift entrusted to our responsible care. To till is a call to work, to develop, produce, innovate and bring forth the fruitfulness of creation. To keep is a call to stewardship, ensuring that human labour, technology and development remain governed by justice, restraint, and reverence. Pope Francis reflects this vision in his 2015 landmark Encyclical, Laudato Si’, reminding us that the earth is “our common home” and that “the natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone.” What God entrusts to all must not be exploited by a few.
Unfortunately, in many parts of Nigeria, we have not always treated the earth as a sacred trust to be cared for. In the Niger Delta, decades of oil pollution and gas flaring have wounded the land, poisoned waters, damaged health and weakened livelihoods. In parts of the North, deforestation, poor land use, and weak protection of water sources have worsened desertification, poverty, migration and insecurity. In the South-East, neglect of trees, land and proper environmental planning has made communities more vulnerable to gully erosion, swallowing homes, roads and farmlands. In riverine communities of Kogi and Benue, building on flood plains and weak flood management have turned rising waters into displacement, destroyed homes and lost harvests. In our cities, plastic waste and poor sanitation have turned public spaces into sources of disease and avoidable hardship. These realities remind us that when we fail to keep the earth, the earth becomes wounded; and when the earth is wounded, human dignity is also wounded, because people lose their homes, health, livelihood, security and hope. This is why the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are not separate sorrows. When we harm the earth, we harm ourselves.
Nigeria, therefore, stands at a pivotal moment. We need energy for homes, hospitals, schools, farms, industries, small businesses and places of worship; we need jobs and investments that expand opportunity. Yet, as we move towards cleaner energy, we must not repeat the old pattern of development that benefits a few while burdening the poor. This is why policy-making is central. Nigeria’s energy transition must be treated not merely as an economic agenda, but as a moral and developmental responsibility. We therefore call on government at all levels to formulate clear, consistent and just policies that protect affected communities, support small businesses, expand clean and affordable energy, create decent jobs, and ensure that no part of the country is left behind. In the same spirit, we call on investors, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector to ensure that renewable energy investment is guided by conscience, so that the new energy economy does not reproduce old injustices in cleaner language, but promotes local capacity, affordable financing, community ownership, skill development, transparency and accountability.
At the same time, it must be emphasised that this responsibility does not belong to government, organisations, investors and religious leaders alone. Every citizen must embrace a new attitude of care. We must stop throwing refuse into gutters, streams and open spaces. We must use water with care, repair leaking taps, avoid leaving water running needlessly, and dispose of wastewater in ways that do not pollute our surroundings. We must reduce the careless use of paper, print only when necessary, and when we must print, use both sides of the paper. We must reuse or recycle where possible. We must plant and protect trees, keep our drainages clear before and during the rainy season, and stop blocking waterways with buildings and waste. We must keep our markets, schools, churches, mosques, motor parks and public spaces clean, avoid littering them, provide proper waste bins, maintain their surroundings, and ensure that they do not become centres of pollution or blocked drainage. In these simple daily choices, we show whether we truly understand that creation is God’s gift and our common home.
At this point, I wish to express our sincere appreciation to GreenFaith Africa, GreenFaith Nigeria and the Kukah Centre for the important work they are doing in this area. By bringing faith leaders, policy actors, civil society, development partners and community voices together, they are helping to remind us that care for creation is not a marginal concern, but a central moral responsibility. Their efforts in promoting climate justice, renewable energy, interfaith collaboration and a people-centred energy transition deserve commendation and support. The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria stands ready to walk with you in this effort to protect creation, uplift the poor, and advance a truly just energy transition for our nation.
May the Lord of all creation grant us wisdom, courage and unity of purpose. May he bless our dear nation, Nigeria, and guide us in the service of humanity, justice and our common home.
Thank you, and God bless you all.
