Care for Creation is a Moral Duty”: Catholic Secretariat Calls for Justice in Nigeria’s Energy Transition

Care for Creation is a Moral Duty”: Catholic Secretariat Calls for Justice in Nigeria’s Energy Transition

Habiba Sam 

As Nigeria stands at a crossroads between its fossil fuel past and a cleaner energy future, the Catholic Church has urged the nation not to lose sight of the human face of development.

Speaking at the GreenFaith Nigeria Multifaith and Multisectoral Forum on Nigeria’s Just Energy Transition Plan in Abuja on 7 May 2026, Rev. Fr. Michael ‘Leke Banjo, Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, framed the energy transition as more than economics. It is, he said, a moral and spiritual responsibility.

“We gather today not merely as advocates, policy actors or religious leaders, but as stewards,” Fr. Banjo told faith leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors from across Africa. “The question is: what kind of future do we want to leave behind, and who will be allowed to share in it?”

Drawing from Genesis and Pope Francis’ encyclical _Laudato Si’_, he reminded the audience that creation is a sacred trust — “to till and to keep.” To till is to work, innovate, and develop. To keep is to ensure that progress is guided by justice, restraint, and reverence.

But in Nigeria, that balance has often been lost. Fr. Banjo painted a sobering picture: oil pollution and gas flaring wounding the Niger Delta, deforestation and desertification deepening poverty in the North, gully erosion swallowing communities in the South-East, and floods displacing families in Kogi and Benue. In cities, plastic waste and poor sanitation have turned public spaces into health hazards.

“When we fail to keep the earth, the earth becomes wounded; and when the earth is wounded, human dignity is wounded,” he said. “The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are not separate sorrows.”

Nigeria, he argued, needs energy for homes, hospitals, schools, farms, and industries. But as the country moves toward cleaner energy, it must avoid repeating the old pattern where a few gain while the poor carry the burden.

He called on government to create clear, just policies that protect affected communities, expand affordable clean energy, and create decent jobs. Investors and the private sector, he said, must ensure that renewable energy projects are guided by conscience, promoting local capacity, community ownership, and transparency.

Yet the responsibility does not end with leaders. Every citizen, Fr. Banjo stressed, must embrace a culture of care: stop dumping refuse in waterways, conserve water, reduce waste, plant trees, keep drainages clear, and maintain clean public spaces.

“These simple daily choices show whether we truly understand that creation is God’s gift and our common home,” he said.

He commended GreenFaith Africa, GreenFaith Nigeria, and the Kukah Centre for bringing faith leaders and communities together around climate justice and renewable energy. 

The Catholic Secretariat, he pledged, stands ready to walk with them to protect creation, uplift the poor, and ensure no part of Nigeria is left behind in the energy transition.

Closing with a prayer, Fr. Banjo asked God to grant Nigeria wisdom, courage, and unity to serve humanity, justice, and the earth.

The message was clear: a just energy transition in Nigeria must be powered not only by megawatts and investment, but by faith, justice, and care for the most vulnerable.