From Oil to Eco-Consciousness: The Role of Adult Education in Nigeria’s Just Transition Movement
Keywords:
Environmental adult education, Just transition, Nigeria, Critical pedagogyAbstract
Nigeria’s heavy reliance on oil has left lasting environmental, economic, and social scars, from pollution in the Niger Delta to systemic neglect of sustainable alternatives. While global discourses emphasize a “just transition” to green economies, Nigeria’s path remains fraught with political, corporate, and infrastructural barriers. This conceptual paper argues that environmental adult education (EAE) must play a central role in fostering eco-consciousness, equipping communities with the knowledge and agency to demand accountability and participate in sustainable development. Drawing on critical pedagogy (Freire, 1970) and political ecology, the paper examines how Nigeria’s adult education systems—through NGOs, community programs, and national policies—can challenge petro-dependency while integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge (e.g., Ogoni land ethics, Yoruba environmental traditions). It critiques the gaps in Nigeria’s National Climate Change Policy and proposes an EAE framework that bridges activism, vocational retraining, and public literacy. Key case studies, such as Niger Delta resistance movements and Lagos’s emerging waste management initiatives, illustrate the potential for grassroots learning to drive systemic change. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for aligning adult education with Nigeria’s just transition, emphasizing decolonial, participatory approaches to environmental justice.
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References
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Ajani, E. N., & Igbokwe, E. M. (2018). Gender dimensions of agriculture, poverty, nutrition and food security in Nigeria. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 18(1), 13173-13189.
Amnesty International. (2021). Nigeria: The devastating cost of oil pollution in the Niger Delta. Amnesty International Ltd.
Bassey, N. (2012). To cook a continent: Destructive extraction and the climate crisis in Africa. Pambazuka Press.
Berebon, C. (2025). Evolving Trends and Challenges in International Environmental Law: A Case-Based Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Pollution and Environmental Modelling, 7(2), 96-106.
Berebon, C. B. (2023). Addressing Electoral Hurdles in Nigeria: Analyzing the 2023 General Elections and INEC's Role. Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi Dialektika Kontemporer, 11(2).
Berebon, C. B. (2023). Gandhian School of Educational Thought. Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi Dialektika Kontemporer, 11(1).
Berebon, C. B., & Gwatana, J. G. (2022). Environmental philosophy: Revisiting the paradigm shift and environmental preservation. AQUINO| Journal of Philosophy, 2(1).
Berebon, C., & Eluke, P. (2024). Cosmopolitanism, Sovereignty and Global Justice in Light of Refugee Protection. GNOSI: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Theory and Praxis, 7(2), 177-198.
Budget Office of the Federation. (2022). 2022 approved budget details. Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All. (2024). Framework for civil society monitoring of environmental education implementation. CSACEFA.
Clover, D. E. (2002). Traversing the gap: Adult environmental education and environmental adult education. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 7(1), 9-24.
Ecological Fund Office. (2024). Guidelines for environmental education funding allocations. Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Ejike, C. (2020). Indigenous ecological knowledge systems in Nigeria: Case studies of sustainable practices. Journal of African Traditional Studies, 16(3), 112-128.
Etekpe, A., & Okoro, J. (2023). Artisanal refining and environmental education in the Niger Delta: Pathways to just transition. Niger Delta Research Review, 12(1), 45-63.
Eze, M. O. (2016). Indigenous knowledge and sustainable development in Africa: A case study of the Tiv people of Nigeria. African Studies Quarterly, 16(3-4), 1-19.
Federal Ministry of Education. (2014). National Policy on Education (6th ed.). NERDC Press.
Federal Ministry of Education. (2024). Report of the National Summit on Environmental Adult Education. Government of Nigeria.
Federal Ministry of Environment. (2023). Draft National Strategy for Environmental Education. Government of Nigeria.
Federal Ministry of Environment. (2027). Mid-term review of the National Environmental Adult Education Strategy. Government of Nigeria.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.
Ibrahim, M., & Bello, A. (2023). Contextualizing environmental adult education curricula for Nigeria's ecological zones. Journal of African Environmental Studies, 8(2), 112-128.
Ibrahim, M., Bello, A., & Okpara, U. (2022). Participatory action research for climate adaptation in Benue farming communities. Nigerian Journal of Environmental Education, 7(1), 33-47.
Industrial Training Fund (ITF). (2022). Green skills development program annual report. ITF Publications.
Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution. (2024). Conflict-sensitive approaches to environmental education. IPCR Technical Papers.
National Assembly. (2026). National Environmental Adult Education Act. Federal Republic of Nigeria.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). (2023). Policy framework for educational broadcasting in Nigeria. NBC Publications.
National Bureau of Statistics. (2022). Labour force statistics: Unemployment and underemployment report.
National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC). (2020). Revised curriculum for adult and non-formal education in Nigeria. NMEC Publications.
National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC). (2023). Capacity development plan for environmental adult education. NMEC Publications.
National Commission for Women. (2024). Gender mainstreaming guidelines for environmental education programs. Government of Nigeria.
National Conservation Foundation (NCF). (2023). Digital tools for environmental education: The EcoNaija experience. NCF Technical Report Series.
National Economic Council. (2028). Framework for National Environmental Adult Education Fund. Office of the Vice President.
National Information Technology Development Agency. (2025). Digital inclusion strategy for environmental education. NITDA.
National Teachers Institute. (2024). Environmental adult education certification framework. NTI Curriculum Department.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). (2023). Industry statistics. https://www.ncc.gov.ng
Nwankwo, F. O., & Ezeh, C. N. (2019). Environmental education in Nigeria: Problems and prospects. Journal of Education and Practice, 10(5), 39-44.
NYSC. (2025). Environmental education component for national youth service. Directorate of Corps Development.
Okagbue, O. (2019). Environmental theater in the Niger Delta: Performance as resistance and education. African Performance Review, 13(2), 78-94.
Okonkwo, E. (2021). Civil society and environmental governance in Nigeria. African Books Collective.
Oladele, O., Imam, Y., & Adegbite, A. (2021). Interfaith approaches to environmental conservation in Nigeria. Journal of Religion and Ecology, 14(3), 201-215.
Omang, T. N., Ojong, A. A., Anthony, G. B., & Kujoh, J. U. (2021). Tourism Education: A Veritable Tool For Economic Development Of Cross River State, Nigeria. Nigerian Community Development Journal, 11, 26-40.
Oviasuyi, P. O., & Uwadiae, J. (2010). The dilemma of Niger-Delta region as oil producing states of Nigeria. Journal of Peace, Conflict and Development, 16(1), 110-126.
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission. (2023). Review of derivation principle and ecological funds. RMAFC Policy Brief.
Robbins, P. (2012). Political ecology: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
State Ministries of Education. (2024). State-level implementation plans for environmental adult education. Various state governments.
TETFund. (2025). Tertiary education support for environmental programs. Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
UNDP. (2023). Monitoring and evaluation frameworks for community-based environmental education. UNDP Nigeria.
UNESCO. (2019). Green Citizens Initiative: Final evaluation report. UNESCO Abuja Office.
Uyi Ojo, G. (2021). Community-based environmental monitoring in the Niger Delta: Lessons from participatory action research. African Environmental Review, 9(2), 56-72.
Vande, P. T. (2020). Vote Buying and Credible Elections in Nigeria: An Opinion Survey of Voters on the 2019 General Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Vande, P. T. (2021). Fiscal federalism and the politics of revenue allocation in Nigeria. Zamfara Journal of Politics and Development, 2(1), 19-19.
Vande, P. T. (2023). Banditry and Human Security: Implications for Peacebuilding and National Security in Nigeria. In The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems (pp. 1-21). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
VANDE, P. T., & Council, B. A. (2016). STATE CAPACITY AND NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA. POLITICAL SCIENCES, 47.
Vande, P. T., & Jooji, I. (2017). THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA. South East Journal of Political Science, 3(1).
Vareba, D. D., & Berebon, C. B. (2022). Ecofeminism reconceives feminism in potential ecological feminism. AQUINO| Journal of Philosophy, 2(2).
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Published
2025-05-31
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How to Cite
From Oil to Eco-Consciousness: The Role of Adult Education in Nigeria’s Just Transition Movement. (2025). Advances in Law, Pedagogy, and Multidisciplinary Humanities, 3(1), 355-375. https://jurnal.fs.umi.ac.id/index.php/alpamet/article/view/938
