Energy justice in practice: Non-economic impacts of Nigeria’s renewable energy transition

Abstract Energy poverty remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, where over 40% of the population lacks reliable electricity despite vast renewable energy potential. While SDG 7 frames universal energy access as a justice imperative, renewable energy transitions generate complex social and environmental trade-offs that remain underexamined. This study assesses Nigeria’s renewable energy transition through the lens of energy justice, incorporating distributional, procedural, recognition, and restorative dimensions. Guided by three research questions, it evaluates: (1) the integration of energy justice principles in policy, (2) their implementation in practice, and (3) whether the transition can be considered just overall. Drawing on qualitative expert interviews, findings reveal multidimensional non-economic impacts. Benefits include improved health, enhanced educational access, livelihood opportunities, and environmental gains. However, significant harms persist, including displacement, land-use conflicts, electronic waste, cultural disruption, and gender-based vulnerabilities. While justice principles are often articulated in policy, implementation remains uneven: participation is frequently tokenistic, benefits are short-lived or unevenly distributed, vulnerable groups are insufficiently recognised, and reparative mechanisms are weak or absent. By linking these deficits to the persistence of energy poverty, the study shows that Nigeria’s transition remains incomplete from a justice perspective, underscoring the need for more inclusive and accountable governance frameworks.