From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
At a high-level virtual dialogue yesterday, President Bola Tinubu urged world leaders to act decisively on the escalating global climate crisis, emphasising that the time for climate action is not tomorrow but now.
In a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President called for unity, courage and sustained leadership to tackle climate change, while promoting economic growth simultaneously.
“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,” he stated.
The dialogue, co-hosted by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres and the Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, gathered leaders from 17 countries and key regional blocs to accelerate climate ambition ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP), targeting net-zero emissions by 2060 across five sectors including power, cooking, transportation, oil and gas and industry. The plan requires over $410 billion in financing by 2060.
“We are aligning our regulatory environment, fiscal incentives and institutional frameworks to ensure energy access, decarbonisation and economic competitiveness proceed in lockstep,” he explained.
He highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in the Mission 300 initiative with the World Bank and African Development Bank, aiming to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030 and referenced Nigeria’s National Energy Compact, which sets measurable targets for expanding clean energy and cooking solutions.
Tinubu also announced the finalisation of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy, expected to unlock up to $2.5 billion by 2030 through carbon credits and investments.
Furthermore, Nigeria is updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to present a comprehensive revision by September 2025.
“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,” he said.
He said the fund would support green industrial hubs, e-mobility infrastructure, regenerative agriculture and renewable energy mini-grids.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to international partners, including the United Nations and Sustainable Energy for All, for their support, underscoring that “these partnerships are a shining example of the value of multilateral cooperation in climate delivery.
“The time for climate action is not tomorrow; it is now.”