Abuja: Ms Zigwai Fanda, a climate advocate and founder of Climate Change and Circular Economy (CCCE) Africa, has emphasized the need for the strict enforcement of environmental standards and responsible private-sector participation throughout Africa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Fanda highlighted the importance of developing climate change solutions that are specifically tailored to the unique realities of Africa rather than replicating foreign models. She pointed out that the continent possesses significant opportunities in areas such as renewable energy, circular economy, sustainable agriculture, and green manufacturing. Fanda emphasized that Africa can meet global sustainability standards by transitioning from commitments to active implementation, which requires stronger environmental governance, investment in technology and innovation, climate finance mobilization, and the development of green skills.
Fanda also stressed the need for entrepreneurship, responsible leadership, and social innovation to transform environmental solutions into sustainable businesses that create opportunities for communities. Drawing from her professional training, she noted that while understanding the relationship between industrial processes, resources, energy, and waste is crucial, technical solutions alone cannot address Africa’s environmental and socioeconomic challenges. This realization inspired her to advocate for an approach where economic growth, environmental responsibility, and social impact reinforce one another.
Fanda announced the CCCE Africa 2026, the Climate Change and Circular Economy Africa Conference and Exhibition, which is set to take place on September 17 and 18. The conference aims to promote dialogue, collaboration, innovation, and action on the continent’s sustainability challenges. It will bring together various stakeholders, including government, industry, development institutions, investors, environmental organizations, academia, innovators, and young people, with a focus on practical solutions, partnerships, investment, technology transfer, and policy implementation.
In addressing Africa’s pressing challenges, Fanda identified energy insecurity, environmental degradation, poor waste management, deforestation, flooding, erosion, pollution, unemployment, and food insecurity as issues requiring urgent attention. She also pointed out inadequate infrastructure, weak environmental enforcement, limited climate finance, and poor access to green technology as major concerns, particularly for Nigeria. Fanda emphasized that Nigeria must bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation while treating environmental challenges as integral to economic and national development.
Fanda called for collaboration among governments, environmental organizations, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and industries to promote sustainable development and a greener economy. She outlined the roles of various stakeholders, urging the government to provide policies, incentives, standards, infrastructure, and an enabling regulatory environment, while NGOs contribute research, advocacy, community knowledge, and accountability. Social entrepreneurs are encouraged to offer innovative and commercially viable solutions, with industries contributing capital, technology, scale, and markets.
On the topic of climate justice, Fanda highlighted Africa’s relatively low contribution to global emissions compared to its high vulnerability to climate change, making fairness and responsibility critical issues. She advocated for increased access to climate finance, technology transfer, capacity building, adaptation support, and investment in African-led solutions. Fanda also stressed the importance of approaching climate change as an opportunity for Africa to build a low-carbon economy without following environmentally damaging development pathways.
Fanda concluded by expressing her vision for a Nigeria where environmental regulations are consistently enforced, waste is transformed into an economic resource, renewable energy is accessible and reliable, and polluted ecosystems are restored. She called for environmental education and green skills to be central to education, empowering young Africans to become entrepreneurs and innovators in the green economy. Fanda noted that shifting the mindset to view environmental sustainability as an investment rather than a cost could fundamentally transform Nigeria and Africa, supported by strong institutions and courageous leadership.