The governance of the climate has been strengthened …

The Minister of the Environment, Balarabe Lawal praised the significant results recorded in the context of the Nigeria Climate Change Response Program (NCCRP), describing it as a reference initiative that has strengthened the climatic government of the nation, improvement of awareness and built resilience in various sectors.

Speaking at the final seminar of the NCCP project held in Abuja and theme “Governance of climate change: the importance, where we are and traveling,” Lawal welcomed Stakeholder, partners and participants in what he described as a celebration of the collective progress of Nigeria in the fight against climate change.

Lawal observed that from the launch of the program in 2020, the NCCRP has provided remarkable results that have had a positive impact both on national and subnational levels.

He said that these included the establishment of a solid measurement, reporting and verification system (MRV) and the development of an education curriculum for climate change designed to advance solid waste management practices and improve climatic communication across the country.

The minister explained that the project had built a strong collaboration between ministries, departments and agencies (MDA), improved technical capacity and promoted the participation of the community in environmental governance.

Lawal, while highlighting the results so far, has affirmed the curriculum of education to climate change for basic and secondary schools, now being reviewed by the Federal Ministry of Education, represents an important step towards the institutionalization of climatic literacy. He also stressed that the program trained media professionals in the climatic report, which led to the creation of Nigerian journalists for the network of climatic actions (Nijocan) and numerous awareness programs managed in collaboration with the media houses.

According to him, the NCCRP has also made significant progress in the measurements of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the waste sector, has conducted assessments on waste in the States of Kano, Ogun, Abia and Bauchi and has carried out public awareness campaigns and training courses that have further deepened the understanding of citizens of climatic issues.

The minister, while recognizing the challenges found during the implementation, observed that through proactive planning, the construction of capacity and collaboration, the project remained on the good road. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to provide political paintings, technical guide and supervision to support the impact of the program and expand its scope in all regions.

He praised the Technical Assistance Team, the staff of the Federal Ministry of the Environment, in particular the Department of Climate Changes and the National Council on Climate Changes, for their dedication. He also appreciated the European Union (EU) and other partners for their technical skills and constant support for the Nigeria environmental development agenda.

However, he urged the participants to exploit the lessons and experiences shared in the seminar to model future strategies and strengthen partnerships towards achieving transformative environmental sustainability.

He said: “Together, we can build resilient communities and offer sustainable benefits for all Nigerians”, extending his best wishes for a fruitful and impact seminar.

For its part, the head of the European Union delegation in Nigeria and Ecowas, Amb. Gautier Mignot has reaffirmed the constant commitment of the EU to support the agenda of the climatic action of Nigeria, describing the response program to Nigerian climate change, NCCRP, as a reference model of an effective international partnership for sustainable development.

He praised Nigeria’s leadership in advanced climatic governance and environmental sustainability.

The EU representative underlined the urgent and tangible realities of climate change, stressing that it is not a distant or abstract challenge but that it has a direct impact on the lives of millions.

“We see him in the agricultor by losing his crops for floods, in families who last heat waves in our city and in the communities that face drought that threaten their safety of food and waters,” he said.

“These are not only statistics, they are human stories shared by millions of Nigerians and European,” he added.

He observed that as the largest African economy and the most populous nation, Nigeria’s leadership in climatic action resonates well beyond its borders, serving as inspiration for the continent and contributing significantly to the global climatic response.

He described the NCCRP as a symbol of what can reach strong partnerships, adding that longtime cooperation between EU and Nigeria is built on trust, shared values ​​and a common vision for sustainable development.

This collaboration, he observed, crosses critical sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and good government, which are all interconnected and essential to build a greener and more resilient Nigeria.

“The NCCRP is a top initiative of this partnership, showing that it is not only possible real progress, it is happening,” said the representative.

By highlighting the impact of the program, the EU has listed different results including the strengthening of monitoring, reporting and verification systems (MRV), improving the credibility and positioning of Nigeria to attract international investors.

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