Lagos: Renewable energy experts have called for a sustainable and inclusive green transition driven by sound technology choices, stronger financing, and increased participation of women.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the experts made the call at the Women’s International Green Summit and Exhibition (WIGSE-26) in Lagos, where stakeholders examined strategies to accelerate Africa’s transition to cleaner energy. The theme of the event is ‘Empowering Women to Lead Africa’s Green Transition: Enhanced by Innovation, Inclusion and Impact’.
Head of Communications and ESG at Eland Cables, Deborah Graham-Wilson, urged renewable energy developers to prioritize performance, safety, and durability when selecting lower-carbon electrical cables. She emphasized that specification, electrical performance, and suitability for the installation must come first. Graham-Wilson cautioned developers against compromising cable performance and compliance solely to achieve lower carbon emissions, noting that improperly specif
ied cables could fail prematurely, thereby increasing maintenance and replacement costs.
She also highlighted the importance of considering transportation, durability, waste management, and recycling throughout the product life cycle. Graham-Wilson advised planning for excess cables, legacy installations, and responsible disposal from the outset. She discussed the environmental and cost considerations of using copper and aluminium in renewable energy projects, noting aluminium’s lighter weight and lower cost despite its higher embodied carbon compared to copper.
Emphasizing sustainability beyond products, Graham-Wilson urged companies to support women-led initiatives, ethical employment, local suppliers, and community development through their supply chains. She warned that delays in procuring specialized sustainable products could escalate financial and environmental costs and called for reliable data and scrutiny of suppliers’ sustainability claims.
Earlier, Dr. Emem Okon, Executive Director of Kebetkach
e Women Development Resource Centre, highlighted the environmental and energy challenges faced by women in the Niger Delta due to oil spills, gas flaring, and pollution. Despite their heavy dependence on energy, women remain underrepresented in energy production and decision-making. Okon emphasized efforts to train community women in environmental remediation and called for greater access to clean energy, especially in rural communities.
Mr. Jochen Rudolph, Cluster Coordinator, Just Transition and Inclusion, Nigeria Energy Support Programme, stressed the need for a gender-inclusive energy transition. He mentioned the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) support for mentorship and internship programs aimed at increasing women’s participation in the renewable energy value chain. Rudolph advocated for stronger female representation in policy and investment decisions to promote a more equitable energy transition.
Dr. Ghada Fouad, Director of the African Centre for Research and Strategic Studies, Egypt, called f
or innovative green-finance mechanisms to connect grassroots projects with global capital. She stated the need for measurable frameworks for women-led energy initiatives that align with international green-finance requirements, transforming grassroots projects into investable green assets with improved access to climate finance.
The summit, reported by News Agency of Nigeria, brought together policymakers, investors, development partners, entrepreneurs, innovators, women leaders, researchers, and other stakeholders in the green economy, featuring high-level panel sessions on green finance, energy transition, women’s participation, climate action, and sustainable technologies.