The Federal Government has been urged to scale up investment in clean energy as a pathway to job creation, reduced environmental degradation, and improved public health outcomes.
The call was made by Tonye Cole, Founder of the COLE’ctive Initiative, in a statement marking this year’s International Day of Clean Energy, themed ‘Clean Energy for People and Planet’.
Cole announced the launch of COLE2Power, a clean energy access and transition platform aimed at positioning renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable power solutions as key drivers of wellbeing, economic growth, and environmental protection across Rivers State.
He explained that COLE2Power presents clean energy not merely as a technical sector but as essential civic infrastructure that supports healthcare delivery, business productivity, education access, public safety, and climate resilience.
According to him, the programme integrates renewable deployment, community participation, innovation, and inclusive financing into a people-centred model for energy transition.
Cole said the initiative is designed to expand access to reliable clean energy for more than 230,000 households, clinics, schools, and small businesses.
It will also provide clean or hybrid power solutions for 230 public and community institutions across the 23 local government areas of the state.
He added that COLE2Power is expected to stimulate economic activity by supporting 23,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises as well as creative businesses, activating 2,300 clean energy service providers and generating over 10,000 green and energy-linked jobs across renewable value chains.
The programme will also deploy energy-efficient solutions across 319 wards to reduce costs, cut emissions, and ease environmental pressure by lowering dependence on diesel and inefficient energy sources.
Cole further noted that COLE2Power promotes community ownership and accountability through 230 clean energy stewardship zones, engaging about 230,000 citizen participants and reaching an estimated 2.3 million people through education, advocacy, and media platforms.
“Clean energy is not only about technology. It is about dignity, opportunity, and security,” he said.
He stressed that the initiative directly connects energy access to improved health outcomes by supporting stable power for healthcare facilities, cold chains, water systems, and clean cooking solutions.
Cole added that the platform advances wealth creation by enabling productive energy use for local enterprises while reducing operational costs. It also strengthens community security through improved public lighting, emergency response capacity, and climate resilience.
A representative of the COLE’ctive Initiative described the programme as a systems-based approach, noting that energy access is central to achieving broader development goals.
Cole concluded that any successful clean energy transition must be inclusive, locally owned, and community driven.
