The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, is embarking on a visit to Nigeria for four days from March 4 to 7, 2025. His visit is specifically to engage with various stakeholders, including government officials, business executives, and Civil Society organizations, to discuss Nigeria’s Climate Action plans and their potential to drive economic growth, alleviate poverty, and improve energy access. According to a statement by the UN Information Centre (UNIC), Stiell will begin his visit in Abuja, where he will hold meetings with top Nigerian government officials and civil society organizations.
At the meeting, discussions will focus on the implementation of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), under the 2015 Paris Agreement, which outlines the nation’s commitments to lowering Greenhouse gas Emissions and promoting sustainable development. On March 6, the Executive Secretary will participate in a symposium hosted by Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) at the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos. During the event, he will deliver a speech on how Nigeria’s climate plan can unlock new economic opportunities, protect the environment, and boost resilience against extreme weather events.
Emphasis on strengthening Nigeria’s climate action.
Stiell will emphasize the critical importance of bold climate action in reducing poverty, expanding access to energy, and generating employment. The UN climate chief will also emphasize Nigeria’s contribution to the Great Green Wall program, which aims to restore degraded lands in the Sahel, and the preservation of mangrove forests, which shield coastal towns from flooding. These cited areas represent clear pathways for Nigeria to adapt to climate change impacts on agriculture, infrastructure, and livelihoods. On March 7, Stiell will meet with civil society groups to further discuss how collaborative efforts can accelerate climate action in the country.
This visit is consistent with the UNFCCC’s objective to support international efforts to keep global warming far below the Paris Agreement’s 2-degree Celsius target. However, there is still a long way to go with the world currently on course for around 3 degrees, which is still alarmingly high. As such, the UN Climate Change is collaborating with the larger UN system to assist developing nations in creating and carrying out National Adaptation Plans in order to fulfill the pledge made by affluent nations to at least double adaptation funding from 2019 levels by 2025.
Nigeria’s commitment to global climate agreements.
With Nigeria at the forefront of climate vulnerability in Africa, the visit highlights the significance of aligning national climate policies with international objectives to protect ecosystems, advance sustainable development, and enhance the lives of millions of people. Nigeria has been proactive in its cooperation with the UNFCCC, having ratified the convention on August 29, 1994, followed by the Kyoto Protocol in 2004 and the Paris Agreement in 2017. These commitments have paved the way for various climate initiatives, including the development of the National Climate Change Policy for 2021-2030.
By drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions, this policy seeks to lessen the socioeconomic effects of climate change. Nigeria raised its ambition to climate action when it submitted its revised NDC to the UNFCCC in July 2021. The understands its role as a continental and global model in addressing climate change, and this update reflects that awareness. To facilitate the implementation of these commitments, Nigeria launched its NDC Implementation Framework in 2024, aiming to drive national climate action and achieve significant emission reductions.
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Despite these efforts, the Climate Action Tracker presently rates Nigeria’s climate obligations as “Almost sufficient”. This rating means that while Nigeria’s commitments are not yet fully aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature limit, they could be with moderate improvements. Nigeria’s policies and actions are in line with its fair share contribution of 1.5°C, but they fall short of the amount of climate action required domestically to reach that warming limit. The projects Stiell will highlight during his visit will show Nigeria how to improve upon previous progress, highlighting the vital significance of UNFCCC-Nigeria cooperation.