The Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) has launched Nigeria’s first Artificial Intelligence-powered carbon footprint calculator.
The AI-driven greenhouse gas emission calculator platform enables individuals and business owners to measure and track their carbon footprint.
The Executive Director of AREAi, Mr. Gideon Olarenwaju, launched the tool yesterday in Abuja during a high-level technical workshop on collaborative approaches for digital sustainability in Nigeria.
He stated that the tool was developed under the Smart Climate Awareness Learning and Empowerment (SCALE) for Net Zero initiative, a project led by AREAi and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to mitigate the environmental impact of the country’s growing technology ecosystem.
Olarenwaju, who is also the Project Coordinator of the SCALE for Net Zero initiative, explained that the AI tool enables users to input data related to internet consumption, energy use, and device ownership to determine their greenhouse gas emissions.
He further explained that the platform categorizes emissions into Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 to provide a clearer picture of environmental impact, mentioning that the global average for carbon emissions per individual is between four and six metric tons per year.
He emphasized that the tool was designed for widespread use across different industries, allowing businesses and individuals to monitor their carbon impact and take steps toward a net-zero transition.
The Country Lead for the UK government’s Global Digital Access Program, Idongesit Udoh, stated that the SCALE Initiative is a digital access program that seeks to harness the relationship between digital technology and the environment.
He noted that with Nigeria’s growing digital economy— which has significantly contributed to the GDP and provided employment and financial opportunities— there is also a need to examine the impact of technological growth on the environment, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
He said the project aims to assess both the environmental impact and the commercial opportunities that can emerge from sustainable digital practices.
Acting Director at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Emmanuel Edet, in his keynote presentation on “Balancing Digital Advancement with Environmental Sustainability,” stated that the information technology sector contributes 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
