Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has said that the Nigerian Government is discussing with global financial institutions to secure over $60m in climate finance for pilot green energy hubs, including a transformative hybrid energy project at a major Nigerian airport.
The facility will serve as a model for clean, affordable, and digitally monitored energy use across other strategic public infrastructures.
Speaking at the opening of the Decarbonising Infrastructure in Nigeria Summit held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, with the theme “unlocking climate finance for sustainable development”, Shettima called for urgent action to combat the challenge of climate change in Nigeria, saying the country must decisively transition to a low-carbon economy.
He warned that continued inaction in the face of escalating climate challenges would undermine the country’s development ambitions and economic future.
“We can no longer delay. Climate action is not just about the environment; it is an economic necessity. Over 75 per cent of Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions originate from key infrastructure sectors: energy, transportation, agriculture, and urban development, all of which are critical to the country’s economic life,” he said.
According to him, without urgent intervention, Nigeria’s projected population boom, to over 440 million by 2050, could further strain resources and worsen environmental degradation.
“The sectors contributing most to our emissions are also those sustaining our livelihoods.
To decarbonise is to invest in Nigeria’s prosperity,” he further noted.
Shettima also reaffirmed the government’s commitment as he listed some of the government-backed initiatives aimed at accelerating climate resilience, including a State Innovation Challenge Park, regional climate engagement clinics, and a new white paper on green growth financing.
“Our transition must not be exclusive. It must reach every state, every community, and every home. Inclusivity is not an afterthought; it is the cornerstone.
“Our goal is net-zero, but our journey must be local, inclusive, and urgent. The time for bullet points is over. The time for bold action is now,” he stated.
Shettima called for policy harmonisation across all tiers of government and the deployment of innovative financing models such as green bonds and climate investment funds to support local solutions and scale climate-smart technologies.
