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Stakeholders at a roundtable convened by the Clement Isong Foundation (CIF) have urged the Akwa Ibom state government to urgently adopt a climate change policy and establish a dedicated green jobs framework to drive youth employment and attract investments into the emerging green economy.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Stakeholders’ Roundtable on the Promotion of Green Jobs and Green Enterprise Development in Akwa Ibom State, held at D’Angelo Hotel, Uyo, on Wednesday.
The event, organized in collaboration with the state Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, drew participants from government agencies, development organisations, civil society groups, and the private sector.
The communique expects the proposed policy to prioritise green skills development, green jobs, and the circular economy to position Akwa Ibom as a leading player in Nigeria’s transition to a sustainable economy.
The stakeholders noted that Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda already provides a foundation for green enterprise development through climate-responsive interventions such as erosion control, flood management, coastal protection, solar energy transition and recycling initiatives.
They observed that despite the state’s enormous natural and human resource endowments, opportunities in the green economy remain largely untapped due to policy gaps, inadequate financing, and weak institutional coordination.
According to the communiqué adopted by participants, green skills, circular economy enterprises, and climate-smart livelihoods represent viable pathways for youth empowerment and economic inclusion if supported by deliberate policies and investments.
The stakeholders declared that the shift to a green economy should not be seen solely as an environmental imperative but as a major economic opportunity requiring stronger public-private collaboration and sustained government commitment.
“The transition to a green economy in Akwa Ibom State is not only an environmental necessity but an economic opportunity that must be pursued with deliberate policy commitment, adequate public investment, and structured private sector partnership,” the participants stated.
The forum, which featured exhibitions by selected youth-led green enterprises, also recommended that the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources institutionalise an annual Green Enterprise Exhibition and Innovation Fair to enhance market access, attract investors, and promote innovation among young entrepreneurs.
Participants further called on the state government to develop a dedicated Green Jobs Framework that would identify sectors with high growth potential and create structured pathways for young people and businesses to access employment and enterprise opportunities.
“The Akwa Ibom State Government should develop a dedicated Green Jobs Framework that strategically maps the state’s sectoral strengths, identifies the skill sets with the highest funding and resource mobilisation potential, and creates clear pathways through which young people and entrepreneurs can access green employment and enterprise opportunities,” the communiqué read.
The stakeholders also proposed that the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) framework established under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, be leveraged to finance green skills acquisition and enterprise development in oil-producing communities across the state.
In addition, they recommended the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform to monitor progress, mobilise funding, and coordinate implementation of green job initiatives.
The participants stressed that persons with disabilities must be deliberately integrated into all green skills and enterprise support programmes to ensure equal access to training, funding opportunities, and markets.
“All green jobs, skills development and enterprise support programmes promoted under this agenda should deliberately include Persons with Disabilities, ensuring that training curricula, funding windows and market access opportunities are designed and delivered in ways that are accessible, inclusive and equitable,” the stakeholders said.
They also urged the government to explore structured environmental management corps as a means of creating immediate employment opportunities for youths while strengthening environmental compliance and urban sustainability.
The stakeholders commended the Clement Isong Foundation, the Ambeghe Movement, and ActionAid Nigeria for promoting the state’s green economy agenda and expressed confidence that Akwa Ibom possesses the capacity to achieve long-term prosperity through environmentally sustainable development.
“Akwa Ibom’s green future will be built by its people, and today, those people have spoken,” the communiqué concluded.
