By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The federal government in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, (UNIDO), has inaugurated a committee for the Global Cleantech Innovation Program, (GCIP) project.
The reason for the GCIP is to promote clean energy technologies for sustainable start-ups and Small Medium Enterprises, SMEs, Development and to address environmental challenges in Nigeria.
The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, during the inauguration of a 13-member Project Steering Committee of experts, on Tuesday in Abuja, lauded the initiative by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO.
Mamora said Nigeria became the tenth member of GCIP through the efforts of its minister and UNIDO.
He said: “Members of the Project Steering Committee are selected from the pool of experts in the public and private sectors of the economy. Therefore, you are expected to make a very important contribution to the development of our dear nation through this laudable project.
“Specially commend the efforts of UNIDO for mobilizing resources to pilot this project; GEF for providing the seed financial resources, the Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology of FMSTI for conceptualizing the Nigerian CleanTech Innovation Programme (NC-TIP) that provided the national platform for this partnership with the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) being piloted by UNIDO and of course the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and Co-Creation Hub for providing niche technical services within the project. I am glad to know that Nigeria became the tenth member of GCIP through the efforts of FMSTI and UNIDO.
“It is pertinent to note that the world is currently moving towards use of clean energy technologies and FMSTI, being aware of this, is currently conducting Technology Needs Assessment for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in key sectors of the economy.
“There can be no better time to commence this project than now. I therefore call on all Nigerians to embrace and support deployment of clean energy innovations and solutions across the various sectors of the Nigerian economy.”