The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria has introduced its Climate and Green Energy Desk, as a step in the fight against the climate crisis.
The initiative introduced by the agency’s newly-appointed Director General, Mr. Charles Odii, aims to empower and support small and medium-sized enterprises 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 on Tuesday 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.
“SCGED is set to play a pivotal role by fostering entrepreneurial innovations that address the pressing challenges posed by climate change. It will conduct thorough research and development to identify the specific obstacles encountered by SMEs in the climate entrepreneurship sector.
Additionally, it 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,” he added.
The Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Inga Stefanowicz, highlighted its alignment with the EU’s core priorities, particularly addressing climate challenges related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and economic diversification aimed at generating employment opportunities.
The agency, however, urged climate entrepreneurs and SMEs to embrace the opportunity by registering for support on its website as the initiative aligns with global efforts to address the pressing climate challenges that threaten our planet.
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