Tinubu Appoints InfraCorp as Lead Developer of Nigeria’s Green Industrial Zone
*Names 15-man presidential steering committee on project evergreen
*Ngelale is Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action
Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) as the Lead Arranger and Developer of Evergreen City, Nigeria’s green industrial zone.
The move, according to a release issued yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, is in line with the president’s commitment to ensure industrial development that meets the demands of the present and the future.
The appointment of InfraCorp as Lead Arranger and Developer, he said, is with the following terms of reference: “Selection of partners/consultants to undertake critical development activities, including project design, environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies, financial modelling, and market engagement.
“Raising private funding for the development of the city and constituent projects. Coordinating with partners, development institutions, and other providers of capital and technical assistance as well as reporting to the Supervisory Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen”
The CEO of InfraCorp, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, holds a first-class Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics; a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Iowa, and a Doctorate degree in Corporate Finance from the New York University.
He was President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric in Nigeria, where he doubled GE’s revenue.
He was also the CEO of General Electric Grid Solutions Africa and led GE’s regional operations between 2008 and 2012 as President and CEO, West, East & Central Africa.
Tinubu also approved the establishment of a 15-man Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, the supervisory technical working group, to oversee the pioneering endeavour.
The committee membership include: Ngelale, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action-Chairman; Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL), Secretary; Lazarus Angbazo (CEO, InfraCorp); Salisu Dahiru (CEO, National Council on Climate Change (NCCC); Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI), among of others.
The president, according to the statement, expects absolute dedication and professionalism to drive the critical project with the clear objective of making Nigeria the leading manufacturing hub in Africa for renewable energy technologies, green solutions, and climate-adaptation technologies for the maximum benefit of Nigerians and Africans at large.
Separately, a statement issued yesterday by Director, Information & Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said Ngelale will serve in his role as part of a larger Presidential Committee, to be chaired by the President.
The Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions is to coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development.
The statement said the committee will remove the constraints to coordination, foster a whole-of-government approach to climate-action programmes, provide an efficient governance architecture, and ensure that all relevant institutions in the sector are plugged into the President’s vision and are collectively implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda on climate action.
The Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions is to be chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
The presidential committee has among other functions to identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil & non-gas climate action initiatives.
It shall also coordinate all activities of relevant federal institutions towards the attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions of the federal government.
It will also collaborate with all relevant government, subnational governments, non-government, and civil society entities towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and ambitions of the federal government, collaborate with national governments and multilateral institutions towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and carbon market ambitions of the federal government.
It will also monitor, evaluate, and guide the progress of all climate action and renewable energy projects and activities of the federal government and track and guide the implementation of initiatives and developments conducted by the Energy Transition Working Group.
The committee will prepare a half-yearly green ambitions update, covering all associated climate action achievements of the federal government as well as supervise the work of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
The statement clarified that Ngelale will retain his role as the Presidential spokesman and the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, while serving on the committee.
It also reaffirmed Tinubu’s commitment to achieving Nigeria’s green economy objectives on the path of a just energy transition while unlocking new investments in this critical sector that is central to the nation’s economic future.
