At the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) reaffirmed the country’s commitment to a fair and equitable global energy transition, fully prioritising Africa’s growth and development needs.
The Council’s delegation to the Summit was led by Director-General, Barrister Tenioye Majekodunmi, on her first major international engagement since taking office in August.
She held bilateral meetings with key stakeholders, including the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General on Climate Action, Ambassador Selwin Hart; the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), Dr. Heike Henn; the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), and the UK Special Representative for Climate, Rachel Kyte. These engagements allowed Majekodunmi to outline concrete steps Nigeria is taking to strengthen cooperation with key partners and to unlock new streams of climate finance.
On the sidelines of the Summit, she signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to scale up climate finance flows to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) by strengthening the use of guarantees. Other signatories included Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Credit Guarantee Company (NCGC).
The signing took place as part of a roundtable hosted by the government of Nigeria, bringing together stakeholders for a dialogue on “Scaling Climate Finance in Africa – Bridging Risk and Investment through Guarantees.”
In a panel session at a BOGA event on “Africa’s Central Role in a Just & Equitable Energy Transition away from Oil & Gas”, Majekodunmi disclosed several initiatives by the government of Nigeria to support the energy transition, including the development and implementation of Africa’s first Energy Transition Plan, a Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, and an environment that delivers stable policies and regulations to attract private sector investment in clean energy.
In addition, she participated in a side Event organised by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), on the theme, “Women and Girls in the Face of Climate Conflict”. Discussions touched on the disproportionate impact of climate change and conflict on women and girls, and the need for inclusive strategies that empower women as agents of resilience and recovery.
The three-day Africa Climate Summit opened on September 9, with addresses by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed; the President of Kenya, William Ruto; and the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Among the highlights of the Summit was the historic signing of investment commitments valued at $100 billion by eight Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and three Regional Financial Institutions, to support green industrialisation in Africa, with an emphasis on industrial clusters, critical minerals, green fuels, and agriculture.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s participation at the Africa Climate Summit 2025, Director-General Majekodunmi said, “The African Climate Summit and its side meetings have once again highlighted Africa’s and Nigeria’s determination to lead global conversations on climate justice and green growth. Nigeria’s nuanced stance on the energy transition reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring a balance between economic realities and climate ambition.”
She added, “The $100 billion commitment announced at the Summit signals encouraging confidence in Africa’s green industrialisation agenda. As we proceed to COP30 in Belém, we must now align and redouble national and continental efforts aimed at advancing the common priorities of climate finance, gender equality, and methane reduction.”
