CJID, NRGI train journalists, CSOs on methane emission reduction

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), a non-governmental organisation, has organised training sessions for journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) on methane emission reduction in Nigeria.

The three-day training held from March 13 to 15 in Abuja.

The event, organised in partnership with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), brought together stakeholders from the government and extractive industry.

Strategies for significantly reducing methane emissions in the country were discussed.

Ifeanyi Chukwudi, CJID project manager, harped on the need for Nigeria to move beyond discussing the transition to clean energy, and focus on how this transition can be achieved.

Chukwudi, who represented Dapo Olorunyomi, chief executive officer (CEO) of CJID, thanked the participants and urged them to amplify the need for methane reduction in the country.

“It is no longer a case of if there has to be a transition but about how it is done. I also want to commend NRGI and CJD for putting this together,” Chukwudi said.

Also speaking, Nafi Chinery, NRGI’s African director, said it is pertinent for Nigeria to address its developmental needs as countries transition to cleaner energy.

“While we also realise that there is need for us to address our huge developmental needs — including energy assets, which is critical for countries like Nigeria and others in Africa, to have access to clean energy to be able to move away from fossil fuel — it is also critical for us to pay attention to how we do this,” Chinery said.

“For me, and my colleagues at NRGI and our partners, we are happy to be holding the conversation which is another milestone in our journey to support governments and civil society to reduce methane emission in Nigeria.”

Joycelyn Adah, a journalist, thanked CJID and NRGI for the training, saying it was an opportunity for journalists to gain understanding on methane emission reduction.

She added that the training would aid journalists to amplify the need for Nigeria to reduce its methane emission.

“The knowledge that we acquired here today, and the last two days has been so mind blowing. I learned so much,” she said.

“We have had the opportunities to ask questions. So, with that, you are going to see stories resurrect from this training as we now have the information to back up the stories.

“I thank the organisers and everyone for this training.”

The event also featured the unveiling of a guidebook on Nigeria’s energy transition, co-authored by Tengi Goerge-Ikoli, a senior officer at NRGI, and Chinery.