President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on world leaders to unite in bold and sustained action to combat the worsening climate crisis, emphasising the importance of global solidarity, courage, and long-term commitment.
Speaking during a high-level virtual dialogue on climate change and just energy transition on Wednesday, President Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to an approach that sees climate action and economic growth progressing hand in hand.
“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.”
The dialogue, co-hosted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was convened to ramp up global ambition ahead of COP30, which will be hosted by Brazil. Seventeen countries, alongside key international and regional organisations such as the European Union, China, the African Union, ASEAN, and the Alliance of Small Island States, participated in the session.
Speaking from Abuja, President Tinubu presented Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) as a bold and realistic roadmap to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. The ETP focuses on five main sectors—power, cooking, transport, oil and gas, and industry—and outlines a financial requirement exceeding $410 billion to meet 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 highlighted Nigeria’s key role in the Mission 300 initiative—an ambitious programme being delivered in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank—aimed at providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s wider climate commitments, President Tinubu referenced the country’s participation in the Dar es Salaam Declaration and the launch of its National Energy Compact. This compact, one of the first of its kind in Africa, outlines policy reforms, investment opportunities, and tangible targets to boost access to electricity and clean cooking energy.
“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,” he said.
As part of Nigeria’s broader energy reforms, President Tinubu announced that the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy would be finalised by March 2025. This policy is expected to unlock as much as $2.5 billion in high-integrity carbon credits and associated investments by 2030.
He also confirmed that Nigeria is currently updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, with a revised version to be submitted by September 2025.
“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,” he said.
This fund will support core national priorities, including the development of green industrial zones, electric mobility infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and off-grid renewable energy systems for marginalised communities.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to international partners such as the United Nations and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) for their ongoing technical and advisory support. He described these collaborations as clear proof of the importance and effectiveness of multilateralism in addressing the climate crisis.
He concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to lead, collaborate, and take decisive action, adding that the time for climate action is not tomorrow.