While Speaker Abbas threw his weight behind the push for low-carbon economy, he emphasised that Nigeria’s decarbonisation agenda should not be interpreted as an attempt to undermine the country’s oil and gas sector
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has called for urgent and coordinated action to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy, warning that the impacts of climate change are already being felt across the country with serious environmental and economic consequences.
Abbas made the call on Thursday while declaring open the National Decarbonisation Technical Roundtable organised by the House Committee on the Mandatory National Decarbonisation Programme.
Represented at the event by Muktar Shagaya, the speaker said climate change is no longer a distant or theoretical threat but a present reality affecting communities across Nigeria through extreme weather conditions and environmental disruptions.
He noted that the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident across different regions of the country, with northern states experiencing drought and desertification, western areas facing rising temperatures, eastern states battling flooding and erosion, and southern parts witnessing irregular rainfall patterns.
“Climate change is real, and its impact is no longer something we will face in the future; it is already here. From drought in the North to flooding and erosion in the East, and abnormal rainfall patterns in the South, climate change has become a lived experience for Nigerians,” Abbas said.
The speaker said global action on climate change has intensified since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, where 196 countries, including Nigeria, committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through nationally determined contributions aimed at limiting global warming.
Abbas warned that failure to respond decisively to climate change could have devastating economic implications for the country, particularly for sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure and energy that are highly vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.
Citing global estimates, he said climate inaction could cost Nigeria up to 30 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product by 2050—equivalent to about $460 billion.
“As one of Africa’s largest economies and the most populous nation on the continent, Nigeria consistently ranks among the countries most affected by extreme weather events. The economic costs of inaction are enormous and could run into hundreds of billions of naira annually,” he said.
The speaker, however, emphasised that Nigeria’s decarbonisation agenda should not be interpreted as an attempt to undermine the country’s oil and gas sector, which remains a critical pillar of the national economy.
Instead, he said the transition presents a strategic opportunity to diversify the economy, develop competitive green industries and attract new investments aligned with global climate priorities.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the House Committee on the Mandatory National Decarbonisation Programme, Rep. Sesi Whingan, said the legislative initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive national framework to drive Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
Whingan explained that the roundtable marks the beginning of a structured national engagement process aimed at building consensus among policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, development partners and civil society organisations on the pathway to implementing a mandatory national decarbonisation programme.
According to him, the National Assembly has already enacted key legislations supporting Nigeria’s climate and energy transition, including the Climate Change Act 2021, the Electricity Act 2023, the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act.
He added that the House of Representatives is seeking to complement the climate and green economy initiatives of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly efforts aimed at unlocking economic opportunities within the emerging carbon market.
Whingan disclosed that the Federal Government has approved a National Carbon Market Framework projected to generate between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually over the next decade.
According to him, the framework will establish rules for carbon credit registration, issuance and verification while encouraging emission-reduction projects in sectors such as forestry, renewable energy, clean cooking technologies and climate-smart agriculture.
“The consultations we are holding are designed to map existing decarbonisation initiatives in Nigeria, identify areas of alignment and collaboration across sectors, and develop a legislative framework that will strengthen investor confidence in the country’s carbon market and broader green economy,” Rep. Whingan said.
In her remarks, the Director for Africa at the Global Wind Energy Council, Wangari Muchiri, said Nigeria’s growing commitment to decarbonisation presents significant opportunities for economic diversification, job creation and increased investment in clean energy.
Muchiri described the transition to a low-carbon economy as critical for Nigeria, particularly given the carbon-intensive nature of major sectors such as oil and gas and agriculture.
“The decarbonisation agenda for Nigeria is really critical. Many sectors in Nigeria, including oil and gas and agriculture, are very carbon-heavy. But in today’s global economy, this presents a big opportunity for Nigeria to capitalise on the carbon economy, create jobs, and bring new income into the sector,” she said.
She added that the engagement between lawmakers, technical experts and international partners is aimed at strengthening the national conversation around decarbonisation and fostering coordinated action across sectors.
Muchiri further noted that Nigeria has already demonstrated readiness to pursue the transition, citing commitments made by President Tinubu at international climate forums, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
“I think one of the things we are seeing is that Nigeria is ready. The President has said on several occasions, including at COP last year, that Nigeria is prepared for a decarbonisation agenda. We are excited to see many partners ready to walk this journey with the country,” she said.
She also called on development partners, investors and technical experts to deepen support for Nigeria through financing, knowledge transfer and technical capacity development to accelerate the country’s transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy.
