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Grantee partners of the Ford Foundation across Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana are developing innovative approaches to address the effects of extractive industries, climate change and energy transition on community rights, livelihoods and ecosystems.
At a regional meeting held in Lagos, partners convened to share how their initiatives are empowering communities and promoting sustainable solutions for a fair energy future. The engagement, attended by Ford Foundation President Heather Gerken, highlighted the importance of partnerships and local leadership in shaping Africa’s energy transition.
Dr Chi Chi Aniagolu, Regional Director for West Africa at the Foundation, noted that communities in the region face interconnected climate, social and economic challenges, stressing the need for energy transition efforts that strengthen community rights and deliver sustainable environmental and social benefits.
Participants also discussed practical strategies for advancing green industrialisation, improving energy access and supporting a just shift from fossil fuels.
Executive Director of Spaces for Change (S4C), Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, highlighted the link between energy poverty and gender-based violence in extractive communities, while Lanre Shasore of Sustainable Energy for All emphasised the role of reliable energy access in improving productivity and livelihoods.
Nnimmo Bassey of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation called for justice for communities affected by fossil fuel extraction, as Benjamin Boakye of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy stressed the need for transparency in energy governance.
Other contributors, including Oluseun Onigbinde of BudgIT and Fatima Diallo of the Centre for Research and Action on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, underscored the importance of fiscal transparency and regional collaboration in shaping inclusive energy policies.
Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, also stressed the need to align energy transition efforts with environmental protection and community wellbeing.
Source: joynews
