By Faridat Salifu
The Federal Republic of Nigeria has officially launched the Nigeria Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) Fund Programme, a two-year initiative aimed at assessing the economic risks and opportunities of Nigeria’s changing energy landscape.
The programme seeks to develop policy options that support economic diversification and long-term structural transformation beyond oil and gas.
The national launch, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, on Thursday brought together senior government officials, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.
The initiative will strengthen analytical foundations for policymaking, facilitate coordinated policy dialogue, and translate evidence into actionable recommendations aligned with Nigeria’s climate and development priorities, including the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Delivering special remarks, the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, CON, emphasized the need for a strategic approach to economic diversification.
He noted that Nigeria must leverage its unique strengths, adopt appropriate technologies, and build skills to drive sustainable growth.
Bagudu stressed that effective diversification should be anchored in strong climate consciousness, creating opportunities for growth that minimize environmental impact while strengthening resilience and generating jobs.
In the keynote address, Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), said Nigeria’s journey beyond oil is an evolution into a green energy powerhouse rather than a retreat from its energy status.
She added that collaboration with BOGA reinforces the country’s commitment to the 1.5°C pathway while prioritizing a fair, funded, and people-focused development trajectory.
Sian Bradley, Head of the BOGA Secretariat, delivered a goodwill message, highlighting BOGA’s support for countries at early stages of planning just and equitable transitions away from oil and gas.
She commended Nigeria’s acknowledgment of economic challenges in its third NDC and noted the programme’s role in guiding the country’s first steps toward implementation, decarbonisation, and emissions reduction.
The programme will conduct scenario analysis, transition risk assessments, evaluation of green development pathways, and structured stakeholder engagement to identify impacts across the oil and gas value chain and viable economic alternatives.
It will also formulate targeted policy recommendations to support workers and communities affected by structural changes.
Speaking for the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI), lead implementing partner, Dr. Olumide Abimbola said the initiative will help Nigeria understand the implications of a changing global energy landscape for revenues, jobs, industries, and communities.
He added that it will identify credible pathways for economic diversification beyond oil and gas and the policies needed to unlock new opportunities and competitiveness.
Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, Director General of the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), said the programme anchors Nigeria’s transition in rigorous evidence, economic realism, and justice for workers and communities.
He emphasized the initiative’s potential to shape Nigeria’s low-carbon sustainable development and long-term prosperity.
The programme is implemented by APRI in collaboration with SPP, with development led by NCCC through a cross-government working group that includes the Ministry of Petroleum, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the National Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Ministry of Environment, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company.
The Nigeria BOGA Fund Programme complements national and international climate action and emissions reduction efforts, providing an integrated platform for evidence-based policymaking, institutional coordination, and long-term economic resilience.