Nigeria has emerged as West Africa’s climate action frontrunner with the submission of its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) becoming the first country in the region to do so ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
This milestone comes as Vice President Kashim Shettima prepares to unveil Nigeria’s Green Transition Roadmap at the global summit, positioning the country to transform its bold climate commitments into viable investment opportunities and tangible projects.
Speaking ahead of the opening ceremony, Director General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Tenioye Majekodunmi, described Nigeria’s leadership role as a “turning point” in West Africa’s climate journey.
“COP30 is particularly important for us in Nigeria because of the momentum we have gathered in recent months, beginning with the submission of our NDC 3.0,” Majekodunmi said. “Being the first West African country to submit our updated NDC signals a new era for Nigeria in global climate leadership.”
The NDCs, which lie at the core of the 2015 Paris Agreement, outline each country’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Under the framework, every Party is required to update its targets every five years.
Majekodunmi revealed that Nigeria’s priority at COP30 is to move from planning to implementation and investment, turning climate commitments into real projects. “We are looking to turn all the deliverables in our NDC 3.0 into pipeline projects, partnerships, and pay-for-performance opportunities. It’s time to move from paper to projects,” she stated.
She also disclosed that the Federal Government had recently approved the National Carbon Market Framework and activated the National Climate Change Fund, two policy tools expected to boost investor confidence and attract high-integrity carbon investments that deliver real mitigation and community benefits.
“Belem gives us the right global matchmaking platform to operationalise these frameworks, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead,” she added.
Majekodunmi further highlighted Nigeria’s plan to strengthen South-South cooperation through engagement with forest-rich nations in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Guinea regions, leveraging shared experiences in conservation and sustainable land use.
“It is something that has never happened before. This collaboration with the Amazon and Congo forest dialogues builds on Brazil’s protection initiatives and aligns with the Belem Agenda,” she said.
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Speaking on Nigeria’s broader vision, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), said the country’s active participation in COP30 underscores President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the Paris Accord and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“For us as a country, participation at COP30 demonstrates our resolve to implement Article 13 of the Paris Agreement and sustain momentum towards achieving global climate goals,” Nkwocha said.
He noted that Nigeria remains committed to cutting emissions by 32 per cent by 2035, a target embedded in the new NDC framework.
Vice President Shettima is scheduled to join other world leaders, development partners, and business executives at high-level sessions on “Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans” and will present Nigeria’s climate action statement during the leaders’ plenary.
With COP30 marking a decade since the Paris Agreement, Nigeria’s proactive approach, policy reforms, and new frameworks have positioned it as a regional leader ready to attract green investments and accelerate the continent’s transition toward a low-carbon, sustainable future.