By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
ABUJA — The Federal Government has said Nigeria requires approximately $337 billion to implement its climate action commitments between 2026 and 2035, stressing the need for adequate financing, stronger institutional capacity and coordinated action to achieve the country’s climate and development goals.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, represented by Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Bernard, Senior Technical Adviser (STA)/Senior Technical Assistant, stated this at the official launch and socialisation of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 (NDC 3.0) and the inauguration of the Interministerial Steering Committee on NDC Implementation and Climate Action in Abuja.
Akume said the launch of NDC 3.0, the Net-Zero Investment Plan and Nigeria’s Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy marked a significant step towards aligning the country’s climate ambitions with its economic development priorities.
He noted that climate change was already affecting agriculture, food security, water resources, infrastructure, public health, coastal communities and the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.
According to him, the success of the new climate instruments would depend on the government’s ability to mobilise adequate funding, strengthen institutional capacity and establish clear responsibilities for implementation.
The SGF said the Federal Government expected ministries, departments and agencies to integrate climate considerations into their policies, budgets, infrastructure investments and sectoral development plans.
He also called on state governments, development partners, private-sector operators, research institutions and civil society organisations to support the implementation of the climate action plan.
“Nigeria’s climate transition must remain inclusive and responsive to national development needs, including affordable and reliable energy, job creation, industrial growth and improved living standards,” he said.
Akume added that the Net-Zero Investment Plan should translate Nigeria’s long-term decarbonisation ambitions into credible investment opportunities capable of attracting public and private capital.
The Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Omotenioye Majekodunmi, said the estimated $337 billion funding requirement comprised $195 billion for mitigation and $141.5 billion for adaptation.
She explained that Nigeria’s climate plan targets a 32 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035, relative to the 2018 base year, as part of the country’s pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2060.
Majekodunmi said NDC 3.0 was developed through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder process with support from the NDC Partnership and the United Nations Development Programme.
She stressed that the plan should be treated as a national development instrument rather than merely an environmental policy document, noting that its implementation would require coordinated action across energy, agriculture, transport, industry, finance, health and other critical sectors.
According to her, the adaptation priorities include strengthening climate resilience in agriculture and food systems, water resources, health, coastal and urban areas, and disaster-risk management.
She added that mitigation measures would focus on expanding access to reliable electricity, increasing renewable energy deployment, improving energy efficiency, promoting clean cooking, reducing deforestation and improving waste management.
The NCCC Director-General identified the Interministerial Steering Committee as a critical mechanism for providing strategic direction, resolving implementation bottlenecks, integrating climate priorities into national budgets and coordinating financing from domestic and international sources.
She said the committee would also strengthen measurement, reporting and accountability to ensure that progress was assessed against established targets.
“The measure of our success will not be the quality of today’s speeches or the formality of this launch. It will be the progress we can demonstrate: stronger resilience, lower emissions, better-coordinated investments, expanded opportunities and transparent accountability for results,” she said.
Also speaking, the United Nations Environment Programme Country Representative, Elisie Atafua, said the implementation of NDC 3.0 should be guided by the everyday challenges Nigerians face, including uncertain rainfall, flooding, extreme heat and threats to agricultural productivity.
She said climate action could deliver tangible development benefits through expanded access to reliable clean energy, improved food security, better public health and the protection of livelihoods.
Atafua emphasised the need to develop bankable climate projects supported by feasibility studies, credible business models and appropriate financing arrangements, noting that many potentially viable initiatives remained unfunded because of inadequate project preparation.
She said commercial capital could support viable clean-energy projects and productive enterprises, while public and concessional financing remained essential for adaptation initiatives and essential services that do not readily generate financial returns.
She called for the inclusion of women, young people, farmers, workers and local communities in climate policy design and implementation, stressing that their participation would help ensure a fair and sustainable transition.
Atafua also highlighted the importance of credible carbon markets, transparent accounting and a national carbon registry supported by effective measurement, reporting and verification systems.
