Plateau State Government Hosts High-Level Stakeholders Dialogue to Chart Path for Green Economic Transformation

By Lawrence Zongo

In a decisive move toward environmental sustainability and inclusive economic growth, the Plateau State Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Mineral Development, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) — Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC), convened a high-level stakeholders’ dialogue on Thursday at the Government House in Jos.

The one-day event brought together key actors across government, international development agencies, academia, the private sector, and civil society organizations. The dialogue aimed to craft practical strategies for transitioning Plateau State’s economy towards green, climate-resilient development, focusing on sectors such as renewable energy, eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, green finance, waste management, and green skills training.

Opening the event, Secretary to the State Government Samuel Jatau highlighted the urgency of climate action, noting that Plateau, like many sub-Saharan regions, is already grappling with the real impacts of environmental degradation, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and economic vulnerability.

“This gathering comes at a critical time when the global community, from COP summits to grassroots movements, is seeking urgent solutions to climate change and economic inequality,” Jatau said. “For Plateau State, the green economy represents a tremendous opportunity to drive innovation, create employment, and lead sustainable development in Nigeria.”

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa loses between 3% and 5% of its GDP annually due to the effects of climate change. Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that over 60% of Nigeria’s population directly depends on natural resources for livelihoods — a statistic mirrored in Plateau State, where youth unemployment is at 7.4% (National Bureau of Statistics, 2023).

Commissioner for Environment, Climate Change, and Mineral Development, Peter Gwom, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to embedding green growth principles into its development policies.

“We cannot afford business as usual. Plateau must leverage its natural assets — fertile soils, temperate climate, scenic landscapes — to power a green revolution that creates jobs, enhances food and energy security, and restores hope for our communities,” Gwom said.

International agencies like the World Bank project that green economy investments could generate up to 24 million new jobs globally by 2030. Locally, embracing sustainable agriculture practices alone could substantially reduce Plateau’s food insecurity, which has risen sharply due to land degradation and climate stress, according to a recent report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

In a keynote address titled “Unlocking the Green Economy Opportunities of Plateau State,” Akinwande Pearse of GIZ-SEDEC (representing Akinropo Omoware, Head of BEE Reforms/Investments and Sustainable Infrastructure) outlined actionable strategies for tapping into Plateau’s green potential. These include incentivizing renewable energy startups, establishing eco-tourism hubs, and scaling up public-private partnerships in sustainable land management.

Adding to the discourse, Adewole Agbojo, Climate Change Economist from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance, stressed the importance of climate finance mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs), in enabling states like Plateau to implement ambitious adaptation and mitigation projects.

The event featured vibrant panel discussions, sector-specific breakout sessions, and a Q&A segment, culminating in the adoption of a co-created action plan—a strategic framework to guide Plateau State’s green transition over the next decade.

Stakeholders left with a renewed sense of urgency and optimism, positioning Plateau as a potential national leader in Nigeria’s growing green economy movement. As the world races toward a net-zero future, Plateau State’s initiative stands out as a promising blueprint for subnational climate leadership in Africa.