COP 27: Nigeria express optimism of Conference goals

Zeniat Abubakar Abuja

The Nigerian Government has expressed optimism that the expectations of the country and Africa at COP 27 will be achieved as issues of concern are already in the front burner of agenda for discussions.

The Minister of Environment, Mr. Mohammed Abdullahi stated this in Egypt as Nigeria joins global leaders for the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change.

The Minister who is also the head of Nigeria’s delegation stated that one of the priority areas Nigeria will pushing for would be loss and damage.

“We are focused on ensuring that we bring the issue of loss and damage to the fore and we are already making progress in this regards, because during the Pre-Cop engagement the COP 27 President, Sameh Shoukry highlighted flood related issue with particular reference to Nigeria and Pakistan amongst other nations as one of the key issue on the agenda for discussion, already the issues of flood is linked to loss and damage and that is of priority to us as a nation.” He explained.

The Minister further said that the Nigeria delegation will also focus on the African carbon market initiative as it try to kick start the framework for carbon trading.

He further stressed that similar attention will also be giving to debt for climate swap aimed to call the attention of developed countries on the impact of their industrialization on the developing countries and the need for them to mitigate the impact on the continent of Africa and Nigeria in particular.

“Nigeria as the leader of the PAN African Agency for the Great Green Wall will focus on climate finance to support its activities in the Sahel Region particularly in the most endemic Northern states described as the front line states where there is fast approaching desert encroachment and of course wetland drying up, these and others are huge issues that we will be focusing on” Abdullahi affirmed.

Mr Abdullahi however called on developed countries to fulfilled promises made to the developing countries during past COPs on Climate funding action, while restating that the Nigerian Government will not take a know it all approach but will align its position with the African agenda that was agreed at Dakar meeting.

“Part of what we will do is to galvanize the action plan for Africa to push for a positive climate funding action from the developed countries, that is why the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan is aligned to ensuring that we get the requisite funding for smooth transition to renewables without which it will be very difficult to deploy infrastructure to support our mini grid, deployment of solar and support bio-fuel.” The Minister stated.

He noted that Nigeria delegation would also interface and engage with private sector and investor to support the energy transition plan.

“As the leader of Nigeria delegation and representative of President Muhammadu Buhari to COP 27, a number of bilateral meetings and engagement has been arranged to discuss funding from development partners and the private sector, a side meeting has been arranged with the sustainable energy for all donors that focus on climate finance particularly carbon trading, we are also working with Nigerian private enterprise amongst other development partners.” The Minister added.

The Minister, however assured Nigerians that his team of negotiator will return to the country with a strong, dependable and bankable commitment from the development partners.