Eshiorameh Gabriel details how Ministervof State for Labour and Employment, Hon NkeirukaOnyejeocha represented Nigeria at the just concluded IEA Global Commission on Energy Transition in Brussels.
There are moments in international diplomacy when a single speech can redefine a nation’s standing, not just in the eyes of global policymakers, but in the broader court of public opinion. One such moment unfolded in Brussels on June 12, 2025, when Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon NkeirukaOnyejeocha, took the stage at the IEA Global Commission on People-Centred Energy Transitions.
The date carried great significance, coinciding with Nigeria’s Democracy Day – the very day President Bola Tinubu delivered a historic address before a joint session of the National Assembly that healed decades-old wounds while honouring the nation’s democratic heroes.
With strategic clarity and unshakable conviction in her country’s potential, she did not just deliver an address, she sold a vision. And at the heart of that vision was President Tinubu’s Nigeria, a nation poised to lead Africa’s green energy revolution while ensuring no citizen is left behind.
From her first words, Onyejeocha set the tone. This was not just another ministerial address, rather she anchored her remarks in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and sent a clear message that Nigeria was not just talking about change; it was making it happen. In a world where Africa is often framed by its challenges, she flipped the script. Here is a nation taking charge of its future, not with empty promises, but with real, actionable policies.
This was no accident. In a world where Africa is often reduced to a narrative of challenges, energy poverty, unemployment, and climate vulnerability, she shattered stereotypes, presenting Nigeria under Tinubu, was not just participating in the global energy transition; it was innovating, prioritising its people, and offering a model for others to follow.
The brilliance of her presentation lay in its seamless fusion of policy and persuasion. She didn’t just list initiatives; she painted a picture of a nation in motion.
The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) was not merely a programme, it was a solution, a pragmatic bridge between Nigeria’s vast gas reserves and the urgent need for cleaner, affordable energy. By highlighting this, she accomplished two things: she reassured the international community that Nigeria was serious about decarbonisation, while also making it clear that the country would leverage its own resources on its own terms. This is the delicate balance of sovereignty and sustainability, and she articulated it with finesse.
But what truly set her intervention apart was its unrelenting focus on people. Too often, energy transitions are discussed in the abstract, megawatts, emission targets, infrastructure investments, while the human dimension fades into the background. Onyejeocha refused to let that happen. She spoke of auto-mechanics retraining to work on CNG-powered vehicles, of women and youth gaining skills in solar technology, of informal sector workers being brought into the fold of the new green economy. These were not footnotes; they were the headline.
In doing so, she did not just outline policies, she told the story of Nigeria’s future through the lives of its citizens.
Nigeria’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme has gained renewed momentum under President Tinubu’s administration, particularly following the controversial removal of petrol subsidies in May, 2023.
The sharp increase in petrol prices made the search for cheaper, domestically available alternatives urgent, and CNG emerged as a key solution. The Tinubu government has positioned the CNG initiative as a strategic response to reduce transportation costs, curb inflation, and leverage Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves, estimated at over 200 trillion cubic feet, to drive energy transition.
It was in line with this push for green energy that the Ministry of Labour and Employment under the leadership of Onyejeocha, in May 2024, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PI-CNG) and the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) to train technicians in converting petrol/diesel vehicles to CNG, as well as maintaining CNG-powered vehicles. Onyejeochaemphasised that the initiative aims to reduce transportation costs, alleviating the economic impact of fuel subsidy removal.
The PI-CNG is currently establishing 1,000 conversion centres and training 5,000 technicians to achieve one million vehicle conversions by 2027. Programme Director, Michael Oluwagbemi highlighted the initiative’s goal of reducing Nigeria’s reliance on petrol and diesel, potentially cutting transportation costs by 70%.
NITT’s National Coordinator, Suleiman Dauda, affirmed the institute’s readiness to train individuals in CNG vehicle conversion, underscoring the collaborative effort to harness Nigeria’s gas resources for sustainable transport solutions.
The Tinubu administration has framed CNG as a transitional fuel ahead of broader renewable energy goals, but its success hinges on sustained investment and policy consistency.
The CNG initiative was a masterstroke. In the global arena, where scepticism about Africa’s capacity to deliver inclusive growth often lingers, she presented evidence, not rhetoric. The Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) wasn’t a promise; it was already in motion, already transforming lives. By grounding her argument in concrete examples, she made Nigeria’s progress undeniable. And in tying every initiative back to Tinubu’s leadership, she reinforced a narrative of proactive, people-centred governance, one that international partners could trust and invest in.
Her closing remarks were a mic-drop moment. By aligning Nigeria with the IEA’s blueprint while asserting the country’s unique approach, she positioned Tinubu’s administration as both a collaborator and a leader. The call for “shared prosperity and dignity of work” wasn’t just aspirational; it was a challenge to the global community. Nigeria wasn’t just asking for support; it was offering a partnership, a chance to be part of a success story in the making.
The impact of this speech cannot be overstated. In a single intervention, Onyejeocha achieved what years of diplomatic overtures sometimes fail to do: she made Nigeria impossible to ignore.
She presented Tinubu’s government as one that doesn’t just talk about justice and inclusion but embeds them in policy. She turned energy transition from a technical discussion into a human one. And, most importantly, she sold a vision of Nigeria that the world couldn’t help but buy into.
For the world watching, the message was clear: Under Tinubu, Nigeria is not just joining the global conversation, it is rewriting the script.
-Gabriel writes from Abuja.