Nigeria is ramping up efforts to access international climate finance and drive private sector participation in green investment, as top officials met in Abuja to chart a path toward sustainable development and climate resilience.
The high-level meeting brought together the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change and Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) mission team, representatives from NIRSAL Plc, and lawmakers led by the Chairman of the House Committee on Climate Change and Security, Nkemkanma Kama St. Andy.
Held as part of Nigeria’s ongoing engagement with global climate institutions, the discussions focused on unlocking climate finance, restoring Lake Chad, and strengthening Nigeria’s internal climate funding framework.
Central to the talks was the urgent need to scale up climate finance in line with the country’s population size and its growing climate ambitions. Participants called for expanded access to GCF support and the fast-tracking of Nigeria’s accreditation process with the Fund.
Reviving the Lake Chad Basin was also presented as a cornerstone strategy for restoring ecosystems and tackling insecurity in the region. Stakeholders agreed that environmental renewal in the northeast is not only a climate priority but a security imperative.
To support long-term sustainability, attention turned to the operationalization of Nigeria’s National Climate Change Fund. Lawmakers described it as a pivotal mechanism for attracting climate-linked investments, leveraging trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and ensuring the country meets its green commitments.
The meeting further addressed capacity gaps in climate policymaking. Chairman Kama noted that empowering legislators through targeted training programs was essential for improving climate legislation and oversight. This aligns with the ongoing GCF Capacity Building Project for Parliamentarians, delivered in partnership with UNIDO, which aims to equip lawmakers with tools for evidence-based climate action.
Dr. Maduekwe expressed appreciation to development partners, especially GCF and NIRSAL Plc, for their commitment to Nigeria’s climate goals. She said the government remains focused on scaling climate action, mobilizing finance, and delivering tangible impact for vulnerable communities.
