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Study Sees Africa’s Green Economy Creating 3.3 million Direct Jobs by 2030

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Africa’s Green Economy

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

About 3.3 million are projected to be created by 2030 from Africa’s green economy, with Nigeria contributing between 60,000 and 240,000, a new study by Shortlist and FSD Africa, with analysis from the Boston Consulting Group said.

The research titled Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa outlined key strategies required to cultivate Africa’s green jobs ecosystem: from targeted investments in high-potential sectors and value chains, the fostering of cross-sector collaboration among governments, private sector, educational institutions and investors, to the development of comprehensive support policies for green sectors.

It also called for further analysis and granularity to labour demand key value chains to identify Africa’s current skilled labour supply and any potential gaps.

The report, a first of its kind that forecasts the new direct job creation potential of 12 “green” sub-sectors by 2030, is expecting the majority of the new jobs in the renewable energy sector, particularly solar, with focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, which together account for more than a fifth (22 per cent) of new jobs, and in key sectors such as renewable energy, e-mobility, agriculture, construction and manufacturing.

It was discovered that South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria represent the highest job creation potential (16 per cent) due to population, gross domestic product (GDP) and industry maturity.

In addition, the renewable energy sector alone is expected to generate up to 2 million jobs (70 per cent of the total) of which 1.7 million will be in solar.

Further, solar is the most important contributor to green jobs in South Africa (140,000 jobs) and Kenya (111,000 jobs), while hydroelectric is forecast to be the leading employer in both DRC (16,000 jobs) and

Ethiopia (33,000), and agriculture and nature are forecast to produce up to 700,000 jobs (25 per cent of total), of which more than half (377,000) will come from climate-smart agriculture technology.

While some experts have suggested that up to 100 million green jobs may be created by 2050, this report takes a more near-term, sober, and realistic look at the job creation potential of just 12 specific sub-sectors or value chains and only until 2030.

Significantly, it predicts that 60 per cent of the employment generated by the green economy over the coming six years will be skilled or white-collar in nature. Within this, 10 per cent constitute “advanced jobs” (highly skilled, requiring university degrees to fulfil), whilst a further 30 per cent are projected to be “specialized” (requiring certification or vocational training) and 20% will be administrative in emphasis.

Crucially, these job types tend to attract higher salaries and will, therefore, play a central role in spurring the growth of the middle class in countries hosting these high-growth sectors. Important also is the stability of the unskilled jobs created – which will offer ladders up the employment scale for candidates, whose employability will be enhanced by access to training and experience.

“There is a cross-sector effort across Africa to spur employment and sustainable development,” said Mark Napier, CEO of FSD Africa, “but stakeholders lack a shared, granular understanding of where the green jobs are going to come from. This report offers a methodology for forecasting green jobs which allows us to get practical about where we need to invest to make these jobs happen.”

“This is the first public report that takes seriously the notion that human capital and talent is important as both an input to green economic growth and as a positive outcome – in the form of millions of new, direct jobs,” says Paul Breloff, CEO of Shortlist. “Now policymakers, and funders, and workforce developers need to step up to meet this near-term demand with effective training, apprenticeships, and job/skill matching, in hopes of achieving Africa’s green promise.”

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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Jobs/Appointments

Binance Names Co-Founder Yi He as Co-CEO Amid Ongoing Restructuring

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Binance Yi He

By Adedapo Adesanya

Global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange by trading volume and users, Binance, has appointed its co-founder, Ms Yi He, as its co-CEO.

“Yi has been an integral part of the executive leadership team since the launch of Binance. Her innovative and user-focused approach has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision, culture, and bottom-up business strategy,” said Binance CEO, Mr Richard Teng. “This appointment is a natural progression and she will continue to guide the organization from strength to strength.”

“We remain dedicated to being the most trusted and regulated exchange in the world, always putting our users first. Yi plays a critical role in growing our community and driving product innovation as we work to reach one billion users. Together, we are focused on building the Web3 infrastructure and promoting financial freedom, empowering people to participate in a more open and fair financial system,” added Mr Teng.

“I am honored to build alongside Richard, who brings decades of experience in regulated financial markets and was among the first to regulate crypto in its early days,” said Ms He. “Together, we bring diverse perspectives and are confident in leading the future of the industry during this pivotal time, as we responsibly expand our global presence and drive sustainable innovation with our users always at the center.”

Binance remains one of the world’s largest players in crypto trading, and leadership changes within the company continue to draw attention due to its scale and influence.

The appointment of a co-CEO adds structure during a period when global exchanges emphasize compliance, operational clarity and more formal management frameworks.

The company did not announce changes to its product lineup or platform priorities alongside the leadership update, and no financial terms were disclosed. The addition of a co-CEO role reflects an internal effort to distribute responsibilities as the firm works with regulators and seeks stability in a competitive and closely watched industry.

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AFRIPERF Adopts Nigeria as Headquarters, Picks Komolafe as Chairman

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Gbenga Komolafe NUPRC

By Adedapo Adesanya

The African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) has chosen Nigeria as its official headquarters and also elected the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe, as its chairman.

Recall that in September, 16 countries, led by Nigeria, gathered in Accra, Ghana, to witness the signing of the charter establishing the forum, which seek to harmonise oil regulation in Africa.

Others include Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, and Togo among others.

The decisions were announced at the inaugural executive committee meeting of the forum which took place virtually on December 2, 2025. The meeting which was attended by the 16 African countries, was convened to pick its leadership, headquarters and logo.

Prior to his endorsement as the substantive pioneering chairman, Mr Komolafe acted in interim capacity.

Also, Mrs Eyoanwan Ndiyo-Aiyetan also emerged as the secretary of AFRIPERF.

According to a statement on Wednesday, NUPRC notes that the development affirms Nigeria’s central role in the African petroleum regulatory space and as Africa’s largest producer of crude oil.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Komolafe thanked his African counterparts for the trust and honour, promising to ensure that no member country is left behind.

AFRIPERF aims to strengthen regional petroleum governance by fostering collaboration, cooperation and coordination among member regulators.

Its mission includes creating standards, enhancing transparency and addressing cross-border challenges such as gas trade, emissions, and digitalisation while making the African continent energy sector attractive for crucial investments.

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Tinubu Nominates General Christopher Musa as New Defense Minister

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CDS Christopher Musa

By Adedapo Adesanya

The immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has been nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the new Minister of Defence, replacing Mr Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.

The erstwhile minister resigned from his position with immediate effect for health reasons, the president’s spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, had said on Monday night.

The 63-year-old’s departure coincides with a period of heightened security challenges across Nigeria, with the government under pressure to deal with a spate of mass kidnappings.

In a letter to Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed Mr Musa’s nomination as the successor to Mr Abubakar, according to statement on Tuesday by Mr Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The 58-year-old retired military chief is described as a distinguished soldier who served as the CDS from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, Mr Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.

He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career. His appointments included General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.

In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.

In 2021, Mr Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed CDS by President Tinubu in 2023.

In the letter to the Senate, Mr Tinubu expressed confidence in Mr Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

If confirmed by the upper legislative chamber, he will take up the ministry at a crucial time when security challenges including terror and kidnappings are plaguing the country.

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