The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has announced the introduction of the SMEDAN Climate and Green Energy Desk (SCGED) as part of its efforts to significantly contribute to the fight against climate change in Nigeria.
The initiative which was introduced by Charles Odii, the agency’s newly-appointed Director General, aims to empower and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) actively engaged in the development of clean energy solutions and other climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
“The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated, as the climate crisis increasingly affects important sectors of Nigeria’s economy, most notably agriculture and sustainable power generation,” Odili said during the launch of in Abuja.
He noted that the initiative reflects the agency’s commitment to equipping Nigerian SMEs with the funding, skills and networks that channel local innovations to solve problems within Nigeria and for the world.
“The nation is already grappling with extreme weather events such as flooding, desertification, and erratic rainfall patterns which disproportionately affect small businesses in underserved communities, “he said.
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He maintained that SCGED will play a pivotal role by fostering entrepreneurial innovations that address the pressing challenges posed by climate change, adding that the desk will also conduct thorough research and development to identify the specific obstacles encountered by SMEs in the climate entrepreneurship sector.
Additionally, he said that the desk will establish a comprehensive database of SMEs operating in this field and provide them with training and capacity-building programs to enhance their skills and knowledge.
In her reaction, Inga Stefanowicz, who is the Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted its alignment with the EU’s core priorities, particularly in addressing climate challenges related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and economic diversification aimed at generating employment opportunities.
Story was adapted from Punch.
