Green Growth and Sustainable Development in Nigeria

This paper examines the concept of green growth and its applicability to sustainable development in Nigeria. It synthesizes recent policy developments, empirical studies, and practical initiatives that aim to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation while promoting social inclusion. Key policy frameworks including Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP), updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), renewable energy roadmaps, and green finance initiatives are reviewed. The paper identifies major barriers (institutional weaknesses, financing gaps, infrastructural constraints, and socio-political challenges) and opportunities (renewable resources, critical-minerals potential, distributed generation, and nascent green finance markets). Policy and implementation recommendations are offered that combine regulatory reform, financing innovations, capacity-building, inclusive green industrialization, and stronger monitoring and accountability mechanisms. The paper concludes that a coherent green-growth strategy is both necessary and feasible for Nigeria, but success requires aligning national climate commitments with industrial development priorities and social-protection measures to manage transition risks.