Stakeholders gathered in Abuja on Thursday to advocate for a transition to renewable energy as a means of addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

Mr Michael David, Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Food Security and Preservation (GIFSEP), highlighted Africa’s vast solar and wind energy potential during the Africa Day celebration.

The event, themed “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” also served as a platform to raise awareness about energy inequality.

David expressed concern that more than 600 million people across the continent still live without access to electricity.

“We are calling for a transition to renewable energy because access to energy is a fundamental human right.

“We seek energy access for all, not just for the wealthy. We demand debt cancellation to enable real, publicly driven solutions and increased public funding for renewable energy.

“We also call for reparations for centuries of exploitation and underdevelopment, and we urge African leaders to show bold political will by breaking away from colonial energy models”.

David noted that Africa Day is a celebration of African identity, resilience, and progress.

“It is a day for reflecting on the continent’s achievements, confronting current challenges, and promoting unity and pride among Africans,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Mr Faisal Muhammad, Desk Officer for Science, Technical and Mathematics at the FCT Secondary Education Board, encouraged students in attendance to embody African values in their culture, character, and conduct.

He commended GIFSEP for its ongoing partnership with schools, particularly in the areas of scholarship provision and skills acquisition programmes.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Africa Day is celebrated annually on May 25 to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), established same day and month in 1963 in Ethiopia. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade