The goal is to enable Nigeria to “present a strong position that will benefit the country” at the forthcoming conference, a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the VP on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed on Friday.
The statement is titled ‘VP Shettima, stakeholders set targets for COP28.’
The committee chaired by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, as a member.
Others include the Special Adviser to the President on Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai, the Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure, Sadiq Wanka and the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Salisu Dahiru.
Speaking during an interaction with stakeholders in his office, Shettima tasked the committee to devise a roadmap that will enable Nigeria to benefit maximally from its participation at the conference.
Vice President said, “We need to be proactive and see to it that we go to the conference prepared and sure of what we want to get.
“It will not be a joke; we need to come back with some tangibles so we can tell the Nigerian people that these are the benefits we got from our participation at COP28.”
Responding to a presentation for Nigeria to sign on to the Battery Energy Storage Systems at the forthcoming COP28, the Vice President said the proposal was a commendable initiative, noting that it “offers green field opportunity for our nascent energy sector to adopt green, affordable and accessible energy for our people.”
“Our energy needs are huge, but they also provide us with a vista of opportunities to transform the entire sector for the benefit of our economy and the wellbeing of the people,” he added.
Shettima also said he looked forward to the technical assistance and funding opportunities, among others, that will come to Nigeria with the signing on to the Battery Energy Storage Systems Consortium.
Earlier, the representative of the Global Energy Alliance Partnership, Mohammed Wakeel, said he was in the country to support the government in the energy sector.
Wakeel said the BESS Consortium will provide a technology that will enhance the quality and quantum of power available in the country.
According to him, with the signing of the MoU with the consortium, Nigeria will be able to collaborate with other institutions such as the GEAP, Africa Development Bank and other stakeholders to transform the country’s energy sector.
