Nigeria has set an ambitious target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent by 2035, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced at the Leaders’ Climate Summit during the COP30 conference in Belém, Brazil.

Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Shettima said the new target underscores Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s climate action efforts and its commitment to global sustainability.

The emission reduction plan will be driven by two flagship initiatives: the National Carbon Market Framework and the Climate Change Fund, aimed at attracting billions of dollars in clean energy investments and supporting climate adaptation for vulnerable communities.

Nigeria has also launched a five-year Carbon Market Roadmap to establish an Emissions Trading System and Carbon Tax Regime, encouraging industries to adopt sustainable practices.

Urging developed nations to move from pledges to concrete action, Shettima stated:

“We need a reliable and equitable financial architecture that recognises our realities and empowers us to deliver on global commitments. We are not the problem; we are part of the solution.”

Shettima highlighted the Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which outlines actions across energy, agriculture, transport, waste, and industry. He also reaffirmed the Decade of Gas Strategy as a pathway balancing gas utilisation with solar expansion to drive rural electrification and sustainable growth.

Other global leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Prince William, also emphasized the urgency of collective climate action to prevent irreversible environmental damage.

Nigeria Leads West Africa in Climate Action

The Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Tenioye Majekodunmi, noted that Nigeria is the first West African country to submit its NDC 3.0, positioning the nation as a continental frontrunner in climate ambition and readiness.

She highlighted that the recently approved National Carbon Market Framework and the operationalisation of the National Climate Change Fund would boost investor confidence.

“Nigeria is open for high-integrity carbon investments delivering real mitigation and community benefits,” Majekodunmi said.

The summit also provides a platform for Nigeria to strengthen South–South climate cooperation, particularly with the Amazon, Congo, and Guinea forest regions, fostering global forest protection.

According to Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Nigeria’s COP30 participation demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action.

Vice President Shettima is set to unveil Nigeria’s green transition roadmap and deliver the country’s national climate action address, engaging global leaders, development partners, and investors in high-level sessions on forests, oceans, and sustainable development.