Sustainable Development in Nigeria
Meeting current needs without sacrificing the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs is the basic definition of sustainable development. This idea is said to be the key to achieving sustainability since it aims to strike a balance among the three pillars of the economy, environment, and society. These three pillars, which are necessary and balanced for sustainable development to exist, can be compared to the three legs of a stool. The United Nations (UN) introduced the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to protect the environment and raise everyone’s standard of living. Today, the SDGs serve as both a benchmark for success in achieving sustainable development and a worldwide framework for international cooperation.
Nigeria’s ill-fated experience with the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has left the nation desiring some level of global achievement. Consequently, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were reinvented to surmount the challenges of the MDGs and deliver the vulnerable low-income countries, Nigeria inclusive, to the set goals by 2030.
The pursuit of sustainable development
Nigeria’s search for a sustainable development plan in accordance with the SDGs places it in a precarious situation. On the one hand, the nation must close the infrastructure and economic development gaps; on the other hand, given its reliance on the oil and gas sector for its economic survival, doing so will be difficult. In addition, the 2015 Paris Agreement established a global target to achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions in the second part of this century to tackle climate change. Due to this, the global energy system is currently being transformed away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner, more environmentally friendly forms of energy (e.g., solar, wind, hydro). As a result, organizations and governments around the world are realigning their policies and goals in favour of a low-carbon economy. Nigeria is in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, but it is limited in how quickly it can make the necessary reforms.
Profit or sustainability?
Nigeria and Africa are becoming more and more concerned with sustainability and the global energy shift. Some contend that the industrialized nations, whose economies were created on the back of industrialization driven by fossil fuels, should carry most of the burden of combating the problem of climate change. They believe that sub-Saharan African nations— except for South Africa, which relies heavily on coal—have made a relatively minor contribution to the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This point of view holds that African nations shouldn’t be pressured to give up their enormous untapped natural riches.
While there is a case to be made that Africans should profit from their riches, sustainable development and resource exploitation are at odds. However, neither concept must be treated as an “either-or” choice because they are not mutually exclusive, as the emerging economies need some of the seemingly “evil’ fossil fuels to survive. Furthermore, Nigeria stands to gain significantly from adopting the concept of sustainable development. Given the current stage of economic growth, it is unrealistic to think that Nigeria’s speed of development will keep up with that of more developed countries. To progress the SDGs and Nigeria’s objective for achieving Sustainable Development, however, a higher degree of awareness of the downsides of these “riches” and a change in perspective is required.
Challenges and the importance of sustainable development for Nigeria.
Given Nigeria’s difficulty with uniformity with global SDGs, a subtle viewpoint on the subject of climate change and Sustainable Development should be taken into account.
First off, it’s crucial to emphasize that climate change is a global concern rather than a regional one. The inference is that while all countries equally share the earth and the consequences of climate change, even industrialized countries may bear the bulk of the blame for the high levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that have caused global warming. African nations are likely the most susceptible to the effects of climate change, so it would be negligent to ignore this emergency.
With rising temperatures, droughts, and desertification in the north and increased precipitation, flooding, and rising sea levels in the south, Nigeria already faces the physical threats of climate change.
As a result, the government and relevant stakeholders must continue to develop and execute policies to reduce potentially large losses connected to climate change. Due to the dependence of Nigeria’s agricultural economy on rainfall, changes in precipitation patterns could have a detrimental effect on food security. As rivers and lakes, which are important sources of fresh water, are drying up, this problem of water availability and quality is made worse.
In some regions of the nation, this scenario has caused migration and regional conflicts. It is projected to get worse over time, putting further strain on freshwater resources. Furthermore, climate change is partly to blame for the continuous conflict between northern Fulani herdsmen and southern farmers because the drought in the north drove the herders south in search of a fertile area for cow grazing.
Effects of population explosion
Nigeria’s population growth rate is among the greatest in the world. By 2050, when the country’s population is projected to double from 200 million to over 400 million, it will have the fourth-largest population in the world after China, India, and the USA. Additionally, half of the population is under 20 years old, which places a heavy burden on the working-age adults to support a sizable (dependent) population of youngsters. To avoid falling behind while the rest of the world develops, these children are the future generation of Nigerians who will benefit from today’s efforts toward sustainable development. How well they are provided with access to energy, clean water, high-quality education, and food security will determine the quality of their lives.
Population increase has historically required innovation and technological advancements, both of which have benefited mankind by raising standards of living and quality of life. The energy demand has continued to rise and consumption habits have changed as a result. While Nigeria’s population is expanding quickly, our country’s electrical producing capacity is not keeping up, suggesting that there will soon be a wider gap between the demand for and supply of energy.
To serve the young and expanding population, there is also an increased need for schools, hospitals, roads, housing, and water supply. Infrastructure construction must be accelerated to satisfy future demand but doing so will necessitate finding creative ways to deal with the issue of limited resources.
Renewable energy and affordability
Sustainable development is dependent on having access to and using renewable energy sources, given the problems posed by population expansion and climate change. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Nigeria should embrace renewable energy sources while it works to increase its electricity-producing capacity. In the recent past, there has been a significant decline in the price of renewable energy technologies, which are now on a level with and, in some cases, less expensive than fossil fuel technologies. As a result, the readily available natural resources should be carefully analysed (both renewable and non-renewable) and employ strategies that strike a balance between profitability and environmental and social concerns.
If there are any affordable and renewable possibilities, they should be investigated and given top priority. But it shouldn’t be expected of Nigeria to completely ignore the non-renewable possibilities that are also naturally present. For instance, because it is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, natural gas should be a crucial part of Nigeria’s development and our shift to renewable energy.
Nigeria is in a rare position to address both issues simultaneously as it struggles to close the energy access gap and deal with sustainability. As a result, caution must be taken when expanding the energy sector, keeping in mind that while short- to medium-term energy access is essential for Nigeria’s development, long-term sustainable development depends on the effective use of renewable energy sources.
Nigeria moving toward sustainable development
Because there are few natural resources in the world, it is crucial to be aware of how much is used and how much waste is produced, both of which have negative effects on the environment and society.
Taking into account the extent and effects of resource use, from water use for home and industrial needs to fuel use for electricity, transportation, and manufacturing, as well as land use, including landfills and deforestation, there is so much to be done to avoid waste and lessen dependence on natural resources. The world is currently transitioning to a circular economy that promotes the “make-use-reuse-remake-recycle” paradigm. Nigeria’s resource use, however, is still largely based on the conventional linear economy, which uses an unsustainable “take-make-use-dispose-pollute” cycle. Therefore, for our mutual benefit, everyone—from individuals to businesses to the government—has a crucial role to play in assisting Nigeria’s transition to a more circular and low-carbon economy.
The role of the private sector
Businesses need to adopt energy and water efficiency technologies to improve operations, as doing so will save costs for the company by also recognizing the sources of the raw materials used in the production process, as well as any prospective alternatives, and supply chain.
Performing a greenhouse gas inventory if a private company operates in a climate-relevant industry (such as one that uses fossil fuels, utilities, or energy-heavy sectors) to understand its carbon footprint better and identify the risks and opportunities related to the business operational operations. Seeking out financial institutions (locally and internationally) that support initiatives with a positive social and environmental impact.
Refining Government Policies on sustainable development
From a government perspective, it would be beneficial to promote this change by establishing policies that are supportive of sustainable development and particular legislation to handle industries with high exposure to climate risk. Aside from financial incentives, utility-scale renewable energy solutions would benefit greatly from encouragement from government policy. Such strategies will considerably improve energy security by increasing energy access and offering reasonably affordable energy while diversifying the nation’s electrical generation mix. Additionally, establishing waste management legislation to encourage the shift to a more circular economy may be a successful strategy to lower landfill deposits and expand the local recycling sector.
Conclusion
It is frequently said that every journey starts with a single step. While Nigeria still currently battles with achieving sustainability goals, there is a possibility of the country achieving the outlined SDG goals level in our homes, businesses, and as a whole, if the nation starts moving toward realigning our consumption and waste-producing behaviours toward sustainable methods.
Given the worldwide focus and resource allocation for sustainable development in emerging economies, the country can do more by utilizing innovative, renewable, and efficient technology as well as by obtaining favourable green funding. While collaborating with the international community to address the climate catastrophe, the country’s leadership should take advantage of the chance to grow our country sustainably.
The standard of living that is left for the future generation of Nigerians will depend on our capacity to concentrate on and effectively combat climate change by integrating sustainability into corporate and public sector enterprises.
Author- Femi Adenekan