From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has urged global leaders to act swiftly on the climate crisis during a virtual dialogue co-hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In a statement by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said, “The time for climate action is not tomorrow; it is now.”
Speaking from Abuja, he called for united leadership to address climate change while fostering economic growth, stating, “The global climate emergency demands our collective, courageous, and sustained leadership. For Nigeria, the urgency of this moment is clear: we view climate action not as a cost to development but as a strategic imperative.”
Tinubu detailed Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP), targeting net-zero emissions by 2060 across power, cooking, transportation, oil and gas, and industry, requiring $410 billion by 2060. He explained, “We are aligning our regulatory environment, fiscal incentives, and institutional frameworks to ensure energy access, decarbonisation, and economic competitiveness proceed in lockstep.”
He spoke on Nigeria’s role in the Mission 300 initiative to electrify 300 million Africans by 2030 and the National Energy Compact for clean energy expansion.
Tinubu announced the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy, set to unlock $2.5 billion by 2030, and plans to revise Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by September 2025. He added, “Our climate strategy is not limited to planning and regulation—it is also rooted in market reform. We are positioning Nigeria as a premier destination for climate-smart investment through a Global Climate Change Investment Fund.”
The fund will support green hubs, e-mobility, regenerative agriculture, and renewable mini-grids. He thanked partners like the UN and Sustainable Energy for All, noting, “These partnerships are a shining example of the value of multilateral cooperation in climate delivery.”