Nigeria has taken the lead in West Africa’s climate action efforts following the official submission of its 3rd Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This development positions the country as a regional pioneer in sustainable development and green energy transition.
The announcement comes as Vice President Kashim Shettima prepares to unveil Nigeria’s green transition roadmap to global leaders, strengthening the country’s reputation in climate action and promoting investment in renewable energy and carbon market projects.
Director General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Tenioye Majekodunmi, disclosed this during an interview with journalists at the ongoing thirtieth Conference of the Parties (COP 30) of the UNFCCC in Belém, Brazil. Majekodunmi said Nigeria’s early submission of the NDC 3.0 gives the nation an advantage to attract global investment and partnerships in climate financing.
Majekodunmi stated, “This is particularly what we call the implementation COP that we have all been waiting for here in Belém, and we are very excited that it has come. COP 30 is particularly important for us in Nigeria because of the momentum that we have gathered in the last two months leading up to the summit. First with the submission of our NDC 3.0 and us being the first West African country to submit—this is a turning point for Nigeria.”
Ten years ago, 196 Parties adopted the Paris Agreement during COP21 in France. At the centre of the agreement are the NDCs, which require each member country to communicate its emission reduction targets and climate adaptation plans every five years. Nigeria’s proactive move aligns with this international climate policy framework.
The NCCC boss explained that Nigeria’s participation in COP 30 is crucial for transforming climate policies into actionable investments. “One of the main things we are hoping to take away is to turn all the deliverables in our NDC 3.0 into pipeline projects, partnerships and pay-for-performance because we need to start turning from paper to projects, and COP 30 is where Nigeria would be doing this,” Majekodunmi said.
She added that Nigeria recently approved its National Carbon Market Framework and initiated the operationalisation of the National Climate Change Fund. These policy decisions, according to her, provide investors with clear direction and boost confidence in Nigeria’s climate-friendly economy. “That decision really gives investors a clear policy direction and signals that Nigeria is open for high-integrity carbon investments which deliver real mitigation and community benefits,” she noted.
Majekodunmi emphasised that COP 30 provides Nigeria with the right platform to activate the market framework and attract funding opportunities. “Belém gives us the right global matchmaking platform to be able to achieve this, and we are quite excited about what is going to happen,” she said.
She also highlighted Nigeria’s plans to deepen South-South cooperation in climate change, working closely with countries that share similar environmental challenges. “It is something that has never happened before. We are here in the Amazon, we are in the forest, and this collaboration with the Amazon, Congo, and Guinea region forest dialogue—building on what Brazil’s forest protection initiatives have put in place—really just strengthens the Belém agenda. We are excited to be able to see how we can improve on this collaboration and take a lot of things home,” she explained.
Nigeria’s active participation in COP 30 reinforces its broader commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. Speaking on this, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the President and spokesperson for the Vice President, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, said the country’s presence at the conference reflects its determination to meet its environmental commitments.
“For us as a country, it is not just about our participation at COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, but it shows clearly the President’s commitment to the 2016 Paris accord, to which Nigeria is a signatory, and ensuring that article 13 of that accord, which talks about climate change, is duly pursued and being implemented to the letter,” Nkwocha said.
He explained that Vice President Shettima will use the platform to highlight Nigeria’s NDC 3.0 and reinforce its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “So, here in Belém, the Vice President of Nigeria will definitely be speaking to the spirit and body of Nigeria’s intent with particular emphasis on the country’s 3rd National Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0),” he stated.
According to Nkwocha, Nigeria remains focused on achieving its emission reduction goals, including a 32 per cent reduction by 2035 and the ambitious target of net-zero emissions by 2060. This plan, he said, will create new opportunities for clean energy development, green jobs, and sustainable economic growth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to join other world leaders, development partners, and business executives at the opening ceremony of COP 30, which is themed “Climate Action and Implementation.” The discussions will focus on adaptation, forests, biodiversity, and climate justice, key elements of sustainable environmental management.
The Vice President will also attend the general plenary of world leaders, where he will present Nigeria’s official climate action address, showcasing the country’s strategic approach to balancing environmental sustainability with economic development.
