SOStainability partners UK university on renewable energy tech

SOStainabilityWeekly

By Oke Epia, E-mail: sostainability01@gmail.com  | WhatsApp: +234 8034000706

Spotlight

SOStainability has secured support from the University of Staffordshire, United Kingdom, to develop a comprehensive digital dashboard for renewable energy adoption and net-zero progression for businesses, charities, and public entities.

The support is part of the Advanced and Digital Technologies Innovation Accelerator (ADTIA) programme at the university, which is funded by the Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

The dashboard is being developedas a comprehensive, multi-purpose platform focused on renewable energy opportunities and net-zero pathways. It will showcase a diverse range of solutions on offer, including ventilation, lighting, heating, refrigeration, compression, and renewable energy technology such as solar, wind, battery storage, and electric vehicle (EV) chargers, among others.

The focus of the technology is to help businesses, households, and other entities easily take advantage of listed opportunities, which range from public sector grants, soft loans, industry facilitations, and private sector-driven incentives,including discounts, power purchase agreements, and other support systems that lead to the adoption of renewable energypractices.

Beyond the offers, the application will essentially facilitate and sustain connections between service providers and renewable energy users, supporting beneficiaries in determining, measuring, recording progress, and achieving their net-zero targets.

Speaking on the initiative, Oke Epia, Chief Executive of SOStainability, said the dashboard is an important tool to help businesses, charities, communities, and even households plan and implement their decarbonisation and energy-efficiency goals in a structured, standardized, and sustained manner through the use of technology.

He said: “The development of this application is a very significant step for us. As we make progress in the development of this innovative technology, we look forward to the immense possibilities this application brings, particularly for enhancing energy efficiency and reducing costs in homes and businesses.

Trends and Threads

Forestland: Why Nigeria’s trees are more than just green backdrops

For many Nigerians, the word “forest” might bring to mind vague images of shaded woodlands far from city life—places that seem distant from the daily concerns of households, markets, classrooms, and towns. Some think of forests simply as sources of wood for building or fuel. But this limited view misses a deeper truth: forests are living, dynamic systems that intersect with every part of life in Nigeria; people, climate, economy, culture, and future opportunity.

Forests are nature’s long-term investment in our climate stability. They absorb carbon released by cars, factories, and farms and store it in wood, leaves, and soil. This invisible work quietly cools the Earth and slows the pace of climate change. Forests also hold water in their roots, stabilize soils, nurture biodiversity, and provide food, medicine, and materials that millions of Nigerians depend on daily. When forests shrink, the consequences ripple out: rainfall patterns shift, droughts and floods intensify, rural incomes suffer, and the nation’s ability to meet its climate goals weakens.Yet despite these essential roles, Nigeria’s forests are under severe strain,and that should matter not just to environmentalists but to every citizen who cares about food security, jobs, health, and the future of the country.

A crisis hidden in plain sight: The rapid loss of forests

Nigeria’s forests have been diminishing at a pace that would be alarming in any context. Official statements and environmental assessments show that more than 90 percentof the country’s original forest cover has been depleted, with over 400,000 hectares lost every year to logging, agricultural expansion, fuelwood dependence,mining,and rapid urban growth. Vice President KashimShettimarecently described this not only as an environmental crisis but as an “economic emergency.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Nigeria’s forest area has fallen drastically over the past decades, now standing at less than 10 million hectares, a fraction of what once existed. This decline is not just about trees;it represents a massive release of stored carbon into the atmosphere, worsening climate change.Every hectare of forest cleared releases carbon that has been stored for decades. Once gone, it takes generations to rebuild that storage capacity.

What drives this loss? In rural and peri-urban communities, wood is still the primary source of cooking fuel for many families. Small-scale clearing for farms, combined with legal and illegal logging, mining, and sprawl from expanding cities, steadily chips away at remaining forests. Weak monitoring, limited enforcement of forestry laws, and competing land-use pressures only accelerate these trends. This rapid disappearance has real costs. Beyond losing trees, Nigeria loses the climate benefits they provide, the habitats of countless plant and animal species, and the livelihoods tied to healthy forests.

Forests as carbon sinks: Nature-based climate solutions in our hands

When a tree grows, it pulls carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas)from the atmosphere and stores it in its wood and roots. This “carbon sink” role is one of the most powerful natural mechanisms for slowing climate change, meaning itreduces the amount of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. Nigeria’s forests collectively hold over half a billion metric tons of irrecoverable carbon, especially in rich ecosystems like the mangroves of the Niger Delta. These coastal forests rank among the most significant carbon reservoirs in Africa. Protecting forests keeps this carbon locked away rather than releasing it back into the atmosphere, where it would accelerate warming. In economic terms, this is an invisible service with immense value, one that the emerging carbon market framework in Nigeria aims to recognize and reward.

Studies show that Nigeria holds hundreds of millions of tonnes of irrecoverable carbon, carbon that cannot be replaced within our lifetime if forests are destroyed.Protecting forests is therefore one of the fastest and cheapest ways Nigeria can reduce emissions while adapting to climate change.

Carbon markets: Anew lens on forest protection

In response to this crisis, Nigeria has begun to shift its approach, seeing forests as assets worth protecting, not wastes to clear for short-term gain. One of the most important developments in this shift is the country’s work on a carbon market framework, which connects forest protection with climate finance.A carbon market works like this: activities that prevent emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere,such as protecting existing forests or restoring degraded ones,can be measured and certified. Each measured amount of carbon reduction becomes a tradable carbon credit. Governments, companies, and investors can buy these credits to meet climate goals or support environmental projects, creating a financial reward for keeping forests standing.

The National Council on Climate Change Secretariat has released the draft Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy, marking the government’s effort to establish a domestic carbon market aligned with climate goals. This framework includes forestry and land use as priority sectors where carbon credits can be generated, encouraging reforestation, improved forest management, and conservation.The policy outlines measures for forest restoration, improved forest management, increased protection, and reduced fuelwood harvesting, recognizing that forests can help the country meet its climate commitments while creating economic value. This framework is important because it treats forests not only as environmental buffers but also as sources of climate-linked income. When trees are preserved instead of cleared, the carbon they continue to store becomes a measurable good that can be sold to fund development, provide jobs, and support local services.

The policy dovetails with Nigeria’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, particularly in its most recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0). In that updated plan, Nigeria explicitly targets a reduction in deforestation rate by 60 percent and aims to increase forest area through afforestation and reforestation at a rate of 250,000 hectares per year, with specific actions to protect and restore degraded forests, mangroves, and community forest areas.

An example of this new direction is the first large-scale voluntary forest carbon credit project launched in Nigeria by Co2carboncredit Technology in partnership with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). This initiative is verifying millions of indigenous trees and generating tradable forest carbon credits,turning forest protection into financial value.

Who holdsresponsibility for the forests?

Forest protection in Nigeria involves a chain of actors, each with distinct roles. At the federal level, the Federal Ministry of Environment and its Department of Forestry are central to policy, regulation, and international climate reporting. The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC)coordinates climate planning, including carbon markets, and works closely with the federal forestry apparatus. Collaboration with international institutions, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, under initiatives like AIM4Forests, is strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to monitor forests and prepare them for carbon finance participation.

State forestry agencies and local governments are equally vital, because much land management and enforcement happen at the sub-national level. Traditional authorities and rural communities who live alongside forests and depend on them for daily resources are essential stewards, offering generational knowledge about land care and sustainable use.

Civil society organizations, academic institutions, and community groups act as watchdogs and partners, helping ensure that forest monitoring is accurate, local voices are heard, and benefits reach those who need them most.

Who Benefits and How?

If carbon markets are to work for Nigeria, they must go beyond generating tradable credits. They must address deep questions about accountability, community benefits, and transparency.

Who owns the carbon stored in forests? When carbon credits are sold, how are the revenues shared,especially with rural communities that protect and nurture these forests? How transparent are the measurement and verification systems that confirm carbon savings are real and lasting?

Across Africa and globally, poorly designed carbon market projects have sometimes generated credits while bypassing local needs, or counting carbon savings that were never independently verified. Nigeria has the opportunity to avoid these pitfalls by building strong Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems and clear benefit-sharing rules, ensuring that communities are not merely passive bystanders but active partners in climate solutions.

Why this matters now

The urgency around forest protection in Nigeria cannot be overstated. Losing forests means losing climate resilience, economic opportunity, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. But seeing forests as climate allies, living carbon sinks whose protection can be rewarded,opens a new chapter where environmental stewardship and economic interest align.

Nigeria is at a crossroads. By protecting forests and integrating them into carbon market schemes backed by strong policies and equitable governance, the country can tap into billions in climate finance, create jobs, and strengthen rural economies. But this future depends on thoughtful implementation: ensuring transparency, upholding community rights, and building systems that reward those who conserve rather than those who exploit.

Washing and hushing

Nigeria’s agrochemical sector is lagging in sustainability

Nigeria’s agrochemical sector plays a pivotal role in the country’s agricultural transformation, directly impacting food security, rural livelihoods, and economic growth. Yet, despite its centrality to the nation’s agricultural development agenda, the sector remains largely invisible in the conversation on sustainability. While the global agrochemical market is under increasing scrutiny due to its environmental and social footprint, Nigeria’s agrochemical companies continue to operate with minimal transparency regarding their sustainability efforts.

The country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) highlight the importance of agricultural sustainability in addressing climate change; yet the sector’s response to these goals remains unclear. As the agrochemical industry expands in line with growing agricultural demands, it is essential that these companies begin to align with evolving global standards for environmental stewardship. But a look at the online presence of these companiesshows abaffling silence. There are no clear sustainability policies, no comprehensive reporting, and no measurable targets.

In this edition of SOStainability Weekly, we turn our focus to the agrochemical companies operating in Nigeria. We are not examining the broader agricultural landscape or the regulatory frameworks; the question is more pointed: With increasing global and local pressure for sustainability, why are Nigerian agrochemical companies still largely absent from the conversation on environmental responsibility?

The visibility gap: Why it matters

We applied the Sustainability Visibility Scan (SVS) framework to evaluate corporate transparency based on sustainability policies, reporting, targets, and governance, providing a powerful lens for understanding the current state of the agrochemical industry in Nigeria. What is immediately apparent from the findings is a disturbing lack of transparency in key companies within the sector. This absence of visible sustainability initiatives not only hinders accountability but also damages the sector’s reputation as stakeholders become increasingly concerned about environmental and social governance.

Globally, industries are being held to higher standards of transparency and responsibility, as evidenced by the growing demand for sustainability reporting across sectors. In the context of agrochemicals, a sector closely linked to environmental impacts like soil health, water contamination, and biodiversity loss, the absence of clear commitments and visible efforts is a strategic blind spot. Companies in Nigeria’s agrochemical sector, however, remain largely silent on their sustainability journey, despite the current trend in global standards and the regulatory environment.

Key findings of the sustainability scan

Our analysis, based on the Sustainability Visibility Scan (SVS), focused on several leading Nigerian agrochemical companies, including Dangote Fertilizers, Golden Agri Inputs, and Notore Chemical Industries. The results revealed a gaping lack of visibility in sustainability efforts across the board.

Take, for example, Dangote Fertilizers, which scored 3 out of 12 on the SVS. While the company provides broad statements on its commitment to social responsibility and enhancing agricultural productivity, it lacks a dedicated sustainability policy. The sustainability content on their website is vague, lacking in measurable targets or detailed reporting. This absence of clear, actionable policies means that despite Dangote’s significant presence in Nigeria’s fertilizer market, it remains largely unaccountable in terms of sustainability impact.

Golden Agri Inputs Limited (GAIL) scored 0/12, as they have no visible sustainability policies, reports, or measurable targets. Similarly, OCP Africa Nigeria and Hamdala Fertilizer also received 0/12 ratings, underlining the sector-wide challenge of transparency in sustainability practices. These companies do not present any governance structures related to sustainability, nor do they disclose any specific climate goals or environmental impacts on their websites.

Notably, Notore Chemical Industries performed slightly better, with a score of 5/12, thanks to its Environmental Policy. However, this policy, which was discovered through a Google search rather than being clearly accessible on their website, still falls short in providing measurable targets or detailed governance structures, highlighting a structural issue in visibility and public engagement on sustainability.

The business case for sustainability visibility

The findings underscore a critical issue: the lack of sustainability visibility within Nigeria’s agrochemical sector is not merely a regulatory concern; it’s a strategic risk. As the world pivots toward sustainability, companies that fail to make their commitments visible risk being left behind, both in terms of competitiveness and reputational standing.

Sustainability visibility offers tangible strategic advantages for companies. First, it helps build trust with stakeholders, from investors to regulators. Transparency in sustainability policies and reporting signals that a company is not only compliant with local regulations but also aligned with global standards. This is increasingly important as investors, particularly those focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, are paying more attention to sustainability efforts when making investment decisions.

Furthermore, financial institutions and insurance companies are increasingly linking sustainability reporting to risk assessment. Companies that lack visible sustainability practices may find themselves at a disadvantage when seeking financing or negotiating long-term contracts. On the other hand, those that proactively demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices position themselves as leaders in the industry, gaining access to better funding terms and strategic partnerships.

Finally, in a world where consumer preferences are shifting toward sustainable products, companies with visible sustainability policies have a clear market advantage. The public is becoming more discerning, choosing brands that align with their values. Agrochemical companies that fail to disclose their environmental impacts or commit to sustainability risk losing out on market share.

A call for action

The Sustainability Visibility Scan (SVS) reveals a sector in desperate need of transformation. For Nigeria’s agrochemical companies to thrive in a world that increasingly values transparency, sustainability visibility must be a top priority. These companies must take the first step by publishing clear sustainability policies, setting measurable targets, and establishing governance structures dedicated to sustainability.

By doing so, they not only align with the regulatory landscape, which is evolving rapidly in line with global sustainability goals, but they also position themselves as leaders in the industry. The shift from being silent participants to active leaders in sustainability will not only improve their competitiveness but also ensure they are part of the solution to the pressing environmental challenges of today.

As the Nigerian agrochemical sector continues to expand, embracing sustainability visibility is not just a strategic choice; it is an imperative. It is time for these companies to take ownership of their role in the sustainability conversation and to demonstrate their commitment through actionable policies, clear reporting, and measurable targets.

The road to sustainability is not an easy one, but it is a necessary one. Agrochemical companies in Nigeria that lead the way in transparency will be the ones that reap the rewards in terms of investment, regulatory compliance, and reputation, and shape the future of sustainable agriculture for the country.