A 10-week campaign designed to transform environmental challenges into business opportunities, create green jobs and empower young entrepreneurs has kicked off in Rivers State.
The initiative, tagged Rivers Climatepreneurs Campaign, is being spearheaded by the African Centre for Environmental Protection (ACEP), in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students’ Association (NUESA), Rivers State University Chapter.
The campaign seeks to move young people beyond environmental awareness into practical climate solutions, innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship, positioning them to turn pressing environmental problems into viable businesses and sources of livelihood.
Speaking during the campaign’s inaugural virtual stakeholders’ meeting, Campaign Lead, Aniekeme Frank, described young people as critical drivers of climate action, stressing that the initiative prioritises measurable impact, enterprise development and practical solutions over conventional sensitisation.
Frank particularly acknowledged NUESA’s strategic role, describing engineering students as indispensable to the campaign’s success.
“They are our main partners. Without their active participation, we cannot achieve the desired impact of this campaign,” he stated.
The meeting attracted students from Rivers State University and the University of Port Harcourt, alongside media partners and other stakeholders, signalling growing interest in youth-driven environmental innovation.
According to the organisers, the campaign aligns with seven United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water and life on land.
Frank explained that the seven goals are interconnected, noting that meaningful environmental protection must go hand in hand with economic empowerment, innovation and sustainable development.
Over the 10-week period, participants will engage in learning sessions, advocacy, stakeholder collaboration and enterprise-focused activities exploring renewable energy, climate-smart business models, circular economy practices and other green economic opportunities.
NUESA’s involvement is expected to strengthen student mobilisation, technical innovation and grassroots participation, while providing a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to develop practical responses to environmental challenges.
Beyond raising awareness, ACEP says its ultimate objective is to nurture a new generation of climate-conscious entrepreneurs capable of building sustainable businesses, generating employment and improving livelihoods across Rivers State.
The initiative also underscores the growing recognition that environmental challenges, when approached through innovation and entrepreneurship, can become opportunities for economic growth rather than obstacles to development.
For ACEP and its partners, the message is clear: young people must not remain spectators in the climate conversation but become innovators, entrepreneurs and active drivers of Rivers State’s green economy.
