President Bola Tinubu has addressed the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Summit, underscoring Nigeria’s commitment to climate action and sustainable development.
Speaking at a high-level meeting on Tuesday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), President Tinubu urged deeper access to green financing for Nigeria and rallied global partners to support the nation’s energy transition and climate-resilience efforts.
He emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to work with global partners in areas such as global energy, carbon market, technology transfer, knowledge exchange and innovation.
“Nigeria recognises the urgent need to deploy and advance technologies to improve green efficiency, modernise infrastructure, and accelerate the delivery of sustainable energy to underserved areas. We also recommend that the adoption of artificial intelligence to optimise efficiency is no longer a matter of the future.
“Therefore, as we work to ensure a stable and reliable energy supply, we are actively seeking partners that promote technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and innovation,” the President stated.
The Nigerian Leader highlighted that increased access to green funding is critical to Africa’s development as well as meeting climate goals without leaving any nation behind.
“Developing countries require equitable climate finance, accessible technologies, and robust capacity building to support true climate commitments without losing focus on advancing their developments and priorities.
“The perspective records that focus on this goal, we are a system of moving energy to mobilize action, strengthen partnerships, and deliver meaningful impact,” he said.
President Tinubu noted that Nigeria’s energy transition plan includes energy-assessed climate mitigation, industrial growth, and social development into a single coherent framework.
The Nigerian leader emphasised the strong link between climate change and the global economy, health, energy and food security, noting that this interconnectedness must now guide how the world sets its governance priorities.
He says, “At this defining moment in history, Nigeria stands with the global community, moving beyond abolition and toward deliverance. The nation feels the Nexus of Next as an opportunity to align climate action with energy access, economic growth, job creation, and social inclusion.”
Access to Green Finance
The President noted that Nigeria is expanding access to green finance as its climate investment platform targets $500 million for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the national climate platform is also positioned to mobilise up to $2 billion in capital investment.
“Achieving net zero emissions by 2033 while delivering universal energy. Our pilot electricity mobility project is also delivering on national energy efficiency programs.
“It is in this spirit that Nigeria has launched a climate and green industrialisation investment to unlock 20 to 30 billion dollars annually in climate finance.
“The Nigerian government’s investment of knowledge has launched a $500 million distribution in the U.S. While the World Bank is implementing the $715 million there, which will expand clean electricity access to power to over 17.5 million people, the $50 billion sub-region green bond issued in 2035 attracted $91 billion in subscription,” he explained.
Climate Governance Framework
President Tinubu recalled that in 2025, Nigeria took decisive regulatory steps to strengthen its climate governance framework and strategic direction.
He noted that the country adopted the National Carbon Market Activation Policy (NCMAP) and launched the National Carbon Registry to enhance emissions reporting, verification and accountability.
The President further disclosed that Nigeria is modernising its energy architecture, describing the Electricity Act of 2023 as a critical enabler of decentralised and inclusive power generation that supports the nation’s clean-energy transition.
“In practical terms, this means sustainable power to rural communities, off-grid health facilities, educational institutions, markets, and the underserved communities,” he said.
President Tinubu added that the theme of this year’s ADSW Summit, “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” underscores the urgency and level of integration required to drive a sustainable transition across finance, technology, energy and human capital.