GEF 5: Femi Oye, Cofounder, SMEFUNDS talks about the international non-profit organisation’s work promoting renewable energy in Nigeria as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

The organisation has been delivering climate-related projects since 2007, including a solar programme which has encouraged Nigerian communities to use cleaner and safer sources of energy.

Oye says although Nigeria currently lacks the latest green technology, SMEFUNDS has been able to support more than 500,000 households transition to renewable energy.

Oye says non-renewable sources of energy in Nigeria – such as coal – will “definitely” be displaced by renewable energy in the future, although it will be a slow process. Green technology, he says, is the key and will “take [the] centre stage over time”.