Abuja -Ms Amina Mohammed, Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, has urged the business community in Nigeria to invest in the country’s renewable energy.
Mohammed made the call at the meeting of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, with Nigeria’s Business and Philanthropy leaders in Abuja on Monday.
She said such efforts would contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which would help to sustain the environment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SDGs are expected to replace the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the end of 2015.
NAN also reports that the meeting with the business community was part of activities of Ban’s second day in his two-day visit to Nigeria.
The adviser pointed out that it would not be possible to achieve SDGs without addressing the impact of climate change.
“We need to think about finding the innovative ways of greening the economy and it is important we focus on renewable energy.
“UN Secretary-General is leading a global initiative – Sustainable Energy for All – to achieve universal energy access, improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy.
“It is important for us to let you know that you can invest in the sector for the benefit of the citizens,’’ she said.
Mohammed said that Information Communication Technology (ICT) should take centre stage in achieving the set goals by 2030.
She said that the actors should look for ways of bringing data together to enhance economic development as well as exploring insurance business.
“The question of how to finance the SDGs was raised at the International Conference for Financing for Development in Addis Ababa recently.
“It will require trillions of dollars to implement the goals.
“Every sector must contribute and in the insurance sector, there are huge opportunities that we must harness; Nigeria can begin to build strategy in the sector, ’’ she said.
The aide, however, charged Nigerian businesses to lead in the Coalition of Philanthropy globally, to contribute to the implementation of the SDGs.
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She said that SDGs were inclusive, leaving no one behind in the implementation and “we can apply it in Nigeria, being a Federal system of government. “
According to her, Federal, State and Local Government have roles to play in implementing the goals, and the goals will enhance the economic and social well-being of the citizens.
The adviser urged the three tiers of government to work hard and build on the achievements of the MDGs in the successive programme of SDGs. (NAN)