{
  "id": 1283964,
  "title": "Nigeria’s renewable energy push is creating new injustices, study finds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/nigerias-renewable-energy-push-is-creating-new-injustices-study-finds",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-16T14:30:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Nairametrics",
    "slug": "nairametrics",
    "url": "https://nairametrics.com/2026/08/16/nigerias-renewable-energy-push-is-creating-new-injustices-study-finds/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nigeria's effort to transition to renewable energy sources is creating new injustices, according to a study published in Cambridge University Press. The country has been grappling with energy issues for over a decade, with a persistent electricity deficit and the need to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. This shift is reflected in various policies such as the Electricity Act, the Energy Transition Plan (ETP), and the National Energy Master Plan (NEMP), all aiming to attract private capital, expand decentralized mini-grids, and tap into Nigeria's renewable energy potential. The ETP aims for universal energy access by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060, with solar power playing a central role in the transition. Nigeria's plan includes deploying about 5.3GW of solar capacity annually until 2060, along with other low-carbon technologies, and requires $410 billion in additional investment for implementation.\n\nHowever, the study reveals systemic injustices in the implementation of these renewable energy projects. While Nigeria promises universal power access, the real-world situation for the people and communities affected is fraught with challenges. A study involving 10 experts from various sectors found that Nigeria's renewable energy transition struggles with procedural, distributional, recognitional, and restorative justice. Procedural justice is lacking, with community participation being superficial and top-down, with policies drafted without sufficient local consultation. Distributional justice demands fair sharing of both benefits and burdens, but restorative justice, the weakest dimension, requires genuine restitution for past and present harm through livelihood restoration rather than minimal financial compensation. The study calls for earlier and more meaningful community participation, stronger rules for renewable energy waste management, and improved systems for restoring livelihoods when affected communities are impacted.",
  "summary": "For more than a decade, Nigeria has been trying to change the way it produces and consumes energy, driven by two problems that have become increasingly difficult to separate — the country's persistent electricity deficit and the growing pressure to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The post Nigeria’s renewable energy push is creating new injustices, study finds appeared first on Nairametrics…",
  "key_points": [
    "Nigeria's renewable energy push creates new injustices, study finds",
    "Lack of procedural and distributional justice in implementation",
    "Calls for meaningful community participation and livelihood restoration"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}