Emir of Nasarawa and President, Nasarawa Emirate Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, has been appointed as the Royal Flagbearer of the 80 Million Clean Cookstoves Project and 4 Billion Innovative Tree Planting and Nurturing Program in Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Lagos by the President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Greenplinth Africa, Dr. Olawale Akinwumi, during the Strategic Project Implementation Management Retreat and Stakeholders Engagement, themed: “Clean Cooking Access in Africa: Igniting Socio-Economic Change with 80 Million Clean Cookstoves in Nigeria.”
The project is designed to promote clean energy access, improve public health outcomes, create employment opportunities, reduce carbon emissions, and support Nigeria’s climate action and sustainable development goals.
Explaining the rationale behind the appointment, Akinwumi described traditional rulers as indispensable stakeholders in the successful implementation of the project due to their deep influence within communities.
“You are more than qualified for this role. You are not just the bridge; you are the motivator. Royal fathers are key to this project. Whether we like it or not, they own the community,” he said.
Accepting the appointment, the Emir, a former Minister of State for Environment, expressed gratitude to Greenplinth Africa and pledged his full support for the initiative. He also cautioned the project promoters against opportunists who may seek personal gain at the expense of the programme’s objectives.
“I want you to know that in Nigeria, there are very few builders, but there are so many joiners. Failure is an orphan, but success has many fathers. When this project becomes successful, many people will want to associate with it. Some will seek to undermine it rather than contribute positively. You must ensure that your foundation is ironclad so that no amount of pressure can derail the vision,” the monarch stated.
He further urged the project team to maintain high standards in the production and distribution of the clean cookstoves.
“They may not benefit from carbon credits, but they could flood the market with inferior products that will rust after a year or two. The standard must remain high. At the end of the day, quality will prevail, and we will all be proud of the outcome. I assure you that we will continue to fly the green flag for the sake of our team and our country,” he added.
Earlier, former General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, Dr Adetokunbo Adedeji, highlighted the severe consequences of dependence on traditional firewood and kerosene stoves. He described the challenge as an interconnected crisis involving public health, gender inequality, economic poverty, and environmental degradation.
“For generations, traditional cooking methods, predominantly open firewood and kerosene stoves have served as the primary energy source for households across developing communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. However, this reliance comes at a staggering and often invisible cost,” he said.
According to him, household air pollution from traditional cooking methods claims more than 3.2 million lives annually worldwide, making it one of the leading environmental risk factors.
He noted that widespread dependence on firewood contributes significantly to deforestation, desertification, and greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change.
Adedeji identified the Panda Cookstove as a practical solution to the challenge, describing it as a rigorously engineered innovation capable of delivering cleaner energy, healthier lives, and environmental regeneration.
Speaking on the strategic importance of Lagos State to the initiative, the Deputy Managing Director and Group Financial Officer of Greenplinth Africa, Engr. Babatunde Aina said the State offers unique advantages for the project’s implementation.
“For a programme that must produce uniform, equitable, carbon-grade evidence, Lagos offers three properties that no other state provides simultaneously: operational density, institutional readiness, and statistical reliability,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Research Officer of Greenplinth Africa, Dr. Eyitayo Ajayi said the project is expected to generate more than three million green jobs while reducing firewood dependence by more than 90 percent among approximately 180 million Nigerians.
