•UN deputy chief urges Nigeria to turn climate challenges into opportunities 

•Musawa: Creative economy will unlock Katsina climate resilience 

•Radda unveils Green Growth Agenda

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Michael Olugbode and Wale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu yesterday called on world leaders to demonstrate unity, courage, and sustained commitment in addressing the worsening global climate crisis.

Speaking during a high-level virtual dialogue on climate and the just transition, the President thanked international partners, particularly the United Nations and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), for their advisory and technical support.

According to him: “These partnerships are a shining example of the value of multilateral cooperation in climate delivery. We are prepared to collaborate, lead, and deliver — because we understand that the time for climate action is not tomorrow; it is now”.

Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to forging a paradigm shift in which climate action and economic growth advance together, not in opposition.

“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 added.

The meeting, co-hosted by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres and Brazilian President, Luiz Inacia Lula da Silva, aimed to accelerate global climate ambition ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host.

Leaders from 17 countries, including China, the European Union, climate-vulnerable states, and key regional blocs such as the African Union, ASEAN, and the Alliance of Small Island States, participated in the meeting.

Addressing the session from Abuja, Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) as a bold, pragmatic roadmap for reaching net-zero emissions by 2060.

The ETP targets five core sectors—power, cooking, transportation, oil and gas, and industry—and identifies a financing need of over $410 billion by 2060 to achieve these goals.

“We are, therefore, in the process of aligning our regulatory environment, fiscal incentives, and institutional frameworks to ensure that energy access, decarbonisation, and economic competitiveness proceed in lockstep. We are also taking leadership on energy access,” he said.

The president  underscored Nigeria’s role as an anchor country in the Mission 300 initiative, implemented in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The initiative aims to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

He recalled his participation in the Dar es Salaam Declaration earlier this year and Nigeria’s presentation of its National Energy Compact, which outlines reform commitments, investment opportunities, and measurable targets to expand clean energy access and clean cooking solutions.

He said: “This compact is among the first of its kind in Africa and lays out our policy reform commitments and specific investment opportunities in the energy sector. It sets quantifiable targets to grow electricity access and increase clean cooking penetration.

“We are working to build capacity and ensure that we meet these targets, reflecting not just our ambition but also our commitment to deliver on that ambition measurably”.

As part of the broader energy reforms architecture,  Tinubu announced the finalisation of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy in March 2025. This policy will unlock up to $2.5 billion by 2030 in high-integrity carbon credits and related investments.

He disclosed that Nigeria is actively updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with plans to present a comprehensive revision by September 2025.

According to him: “Our climate strategy is not limited to planning and regulation — it is also rooted in market reform. We are working to position Nigeria as a premier destination for climate-smart investment through the development of a Global Climate Change Investment Fund, which will serve as a platform to blend public and private capital, de-risk green infrastructure, and finance clean energy solutions at scale”.

The fund will support key national priorities such as green industrial hubs, e-mobility infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and renewable energy mini-grids for underserved communities.

Separately, the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, has challenged Nigeria to turn the challenges of Climate Change into opportunities to ensure progress.

Speaking at the Katsina State Climate Action and Green Investment Summit themed: “Turning Climate Change Challenges into Development Opportunities for Katsina State,” Mohammed who was represented by UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said the summit was a powerful demonstration of leadership and vision.

“This gathering matters because climate action is not just about managing risk. It’s about unlocking opportunities. For Katsina, for Nigeria, and for all of us, this is a moment to turn challenge into progress, to shift from climate vulnerability to climate leadership. From energy scarcity to green prosperity. From exclusion to inclusion.

“Katsina and the wider North-west hold enormous potential: abundant solar and wind resources, innovative farmers, dynamic youth, and resilient communities. These are the building blocks of a green economy, if we choose to invest in them wisely.

“A green economy means clean, affordable energy for homes and schools. It means jobs in solar technology, smart agriculture, and sustainable enterprises. It means economic growth that uplifts women, youth, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. It means clean air, healthy families, and stronger, more resilient communities.

“The UN family in Nigeria stands firmly with you. We are working closely with the government through the National Climate Change Council (NCCC) to ensure that Nigeria completes an ambitious NDC 3.0 before September this year, as we look forward to COP 30 in Brazil,” she said.

While calling for investment in Katsina’s green future and advising on leaving no one behind, she explained that the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, had urged the world to make peace with nature.

Addressing the State’s Climate Action and Green Investment Summit, Governor of Katsina State, Umar Radda, highlighted the state’s climate challenges and opportunities, stressing the need for collective action to transform challenges into development opportunities.

He also unveiled the Katsina State Green Growth Agenda (KAGGA), a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable development which focuses on four pillars; Climate-Smart Agriculture, Renewable Energy Leadership, Ecosystem Restoration, and Green Industrialization.

He said the initiative will achieve KAGGA’s ambitious goals, including planting 10 million trees, establishing climate-resilient farming cooperatives, and promoting green industries.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who was at the event said that the creative economy plays a critical role in addressing climate challenges and unlocking development opportunities in Katsina State.

She identified the state’s unique climate-related challenges, including desertification, water scarcity, and unpredictable rainfall as factors that threaten agriculture, livelihoods, and food security.

Musawa noted that by embracing creativity and innovation, particularly through the power of the creative economy, Katsina State can unlock new pathways to sustainable development, job creation, and social progress.

“The creative economy has the potential to be a powerful force in addressing some of our most pressing environmental issues. One of the key roles of the creative industries is to educate and raise awareness.

“The power of storytelling, film, music, and visual arts can play a transformative role in communicating the urgency of climate action. Through documentaries, songs, performances, and visual art, we can engage communities, inform them about the risks posed by climate change, and inspire them to take action,” Musawa said.

According to the minister, development of sustainable fashion and textiles using eco-friendly materials and practices can reduce environmental degradation. She recommended leveraging eco-tourism and cultural heritage tourism to preserve natural resources and promote local culture.

On his part, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said: “Today’s gathering comes at a critical time in our national development trajectory, a time when the imperatives of climate change, environmental resilience and green economic transformation are at the forefront of our collective agenda.

“Climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. We are witnessing the consequences of climate change today in the form of desert encroachment, extreme heat, flooding, droughts, dwindling agricultural productivity and resultant insecurity in our nation.”

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