By Aliyu Umar Aliyu
Year in, year out, the climate change conversation has continued to gain momentum globally, regionally, nationally, and at the subnational level. Climate change, with its multidimensional effects on the environment and livelihoods, inflicts growing human and economic costs in every country, especially developing ones.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, known as COP, is a vital global gathering that identifies climate change issues, attracts innovative policies and technological solutions, accelerates implementation, tracks progress, and ensures sustainable financing.
Climate change affects every country, but not equally, and not every nation has the same resources to address it. That is why one of the conference’s guiding principles states that all countries must act. However, developed countries with greater capacities are expected to do more.
Climate finance is key to sustainable change. At the 2024 COP29 session in Baku, Azerbaijan, all actors agreed to work together to scale up financing for developing countries for climate action from all public and private sources to at least 1.3 trillion USD per year by 2035. This has been tagged the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3 Trillion.” Countries, including the EU, agreed to triple their support to developing countries from 100 billion USD to 300 billion USD annually.
Consequently, this year’s COP30 session, taking place in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to 21 November, with nearly 200 countries—including Nigeria—in attendance, will see countries presenting their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are national climate plans due every five years. In Belém, parties will assess the gap between current plans and what is required to meet the Paris goals, as well as what will be needed to close this gap, particularly in terms of finance.
Regionally, Nigeria has positioned itself as West Africa’s climate action leader following its submission of the region’s first third Nationally Determined Contribution, NDC 3.0, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Consequently, Vice President Kashim Shettima, during his presentation at COP30, will unveil Nigeria’s Green Transition Roadmap to world leaders, positioning the country to turn its climate commitments into concrete investment opportunities, partnerships, and projects. This will further boost investor confidence in doing business with Nigeria.
The government’s approval of the National Carbon Market Framework and its move toward operationalizing the National Climate Change Fund signal a clear policy direction that Nigeria is open to high-integrity carbon investments that deliver real mitigation and community benefits.
Recently, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources inaugurated a technical and steering committee to create and manage the Nigeria Green Climate Fund and sovereign carbon credits. The committee is expected to design a financial, institutional, and regulatory framework that will enable Nigeria to access global climate capital, monetize emission reductions, and reposition the ministry as it transitions into an energy- and climate-smart institution, as provided for in the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. The committee will also identify eligible projects such as gas flare capture and renewable energy, and propose sustainable financing and transparent revenue models.
These national efforts will no doubt open pathways for states at the subnational level to align their local climate policies and frameworks to attract investments for implementation, economic growth, and human development.
Niger State is already charting this pathway toward sustainable climate solutions. Over the last two years, the state has pursued one of the most ambitious subnational green economy transitions in Nigeria’s history. By linking local realities with global climate ambitions, Niger State is steadily positioning itself as the country’s hub for climate-smart agriculture, clean energy, and green industrial development.
Desertification, flooding, and deforestation have long undermined livelihoods across the state. To confront these threats, Niger State launched its “Green Economy Blueprint,” an integrated strategy designed to build resilience while creating green jobs and sustainable prosperity. This opened doors for the state’s engagements with global climate actors.
At COP28 in Dubai, the state presented its blueprint before international partners, and by COP29 in Baku, it had become a recognizable name in subnational climate leadership. These appearances were not symbolic; they yielded partnerships that now define the core of Niger State’s transition agenda.
One of the most transformative was the Memorandum of Understanding with Blue Carbon, a UAE-based company committed to developing sustainable climate solutions. The agreement to plant one billion economic trees across one million hectares in Niger State stands as one of the largest public–private reforestation programmes on the African continent.
Beyond ecological restoration, the initiative promises rural employment, carbon credit generation, and long-term economic benefits from timber, fruit, and non-timber forest products. Equally significant was the partnership with Future Camp Germany, a globally renowned firm in carbon markets. This collaboration aims to unlock over N1 trillion in climate investments and build the technical framework for Niger State’s carbon market activation.
For a subnational entity, this is pioneering work — one that could make Niger the first Nigerian state to fully participate in voluntary carbon trading, attracting new revenue streams while promoting transparency in climate finance. The Memorandum of Understanding with NNPC Limited extends Niger State’s climate action to the energy sector.
It covers renewable and low-carbon projects, including a greenfield hydroelectric power plant, mega solar parks for institutions, and home solar systems targeting 250,000 households. The agreement also envisions an ethanol plant capable of producing 500 million litres annually, powered by crops cultivated across 100,000 hectares — a project that will build value chains, empower farmers, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
These initiatives align with the requirements of the Nigeria Green Climate Fund and Sovereign Carbon Credits, for which Niger State has proven capable of qualifying.
These developments are not isolated. They are coordinated through the Niger State Agency for Green Initiatives (NG-SAGI), an institution established to harmonize the state’s environmental, agricultural, and energy programmes into one coherent climate resilience framework. Under this framework, Niger State hosted Nigeria’s first-ever subnational Green Economy Summit in 2023, attracting investors and development partners from across the world.
The summit’s outcomes validated the belief that local action can be globally relevant if guided by a clear vision and credible governance. The pledges and partnerships secured there continue to support current projects — from afforestation to renewable energy and sustainable agriculture.
As Nigeria heads to COP30 in Brazil, Niger State’s delegation is expected to present these achievements not as isolated efforts but as part of a coherent subnational climate narrative. It will highlight how a state once challenged by deforestation and poverty is now leading a structured march toward carbon neutrality and green prosperity.
Clearly, Niger State’s climate change initiatives should encourage other state governments to explore local climate challenges and develop them into sustainable policies and actions capable of attracting local and international investments for long-term solutions and economic growth.
Aliyu Umar is the Head of Strategic Communication, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, and can be reached via aliyu.umar@fmic.gov.ng
