The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for the implementation of tax incentives for investors in Nigeria's clean energy sector to support the country's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2060.

This recommendation was made during a one-day training on Fossil Phase-Out Advocacy held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Friday, themed 'Using the Instrumentality of Taxation for Energy Transition'.

CISLAC emphasized the need for government to foster inter-agency collaboration to drive the energy transition process effectively. The organization also stressed that Nigeria's tax system should be aligned with the transition goals, ensuring equitable distribution of revenue from taxation.

Key Recommendations for Energy Transition

"Government should embrace inter-agency collaboration. Capacity building for the managers of the process is very important," CISLAC stated during the training.

The organization further emphasized, "There must be transparency and accountability in the transition process. Provide tax incentives to investors and stakeholders must demand for tax openness and investigation in transition."

CISLAC urged civil society organizations to advocate strongly regarding subsidy funds and their usage by the government, highlighting that revenue from subsidies should be invested in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy.

The organization also called for proper utilization of global climate change funding at the national level to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, while emphasizing the importance of research and analysis of real-life situations in Nigeria.

Climate Change Impacts in Nigeria

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC, represented by administrative officer Mohammed Murtala, opened the training by highlighting the complex relationships between fossil fuel exploration, environmental degradation, and economic development.

Musa noted that communities in Akwa Ibom State are already experiencing the harsh realities of climate change, including flooding and oil spills, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate these impacts.

While acknowledging Nigeria's comprehensive Energy Transition Plan aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, he challenged participants to question whether the country is moving swiftly enough to meet its climate goals and if current policies align with recommendations from the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The advocacy effort comes as part of a global push toward net zero emissions, with Nigeria joining other nations in committing to achieve this target by 2060.